The more orange a guppy is, the sexier it is
A study of guppies, a tropical fish commonly kept as ornamental fish, found that males with a darker orange body color were more likely to be sexually active and healthy.
Deep learning reveals the complex genetic architecture of male guppy coloration | Nature Ecology & Evolution
Orange is the new aphrodisiac—for guppies
The Sex Lives of Guppies Just Got Way More Colorful
https://scitechdaily.com/the-sex-lives-of-guppies-just-got-way-more-colorful/
Male guppies have complex patterns and a wide variety of colors, but it was unknown why there was such individual variation.
To solve this mystery, Wouter van der Bil and his colleagues at the University of British Columbia combined deep learning analysis with genetic research to breed three generations of guppies with a brighter orange color.
The researchers found that bright orange male guppies courted females more frequently, lasted longer, and were more likely to attempt mate secretly than other guppies. These males were up to twice as sexually active and had higher reproductive potential.
Furthermore, the research team discovered that the genes related to guppy body color are distributed across multiple chromosomes, and they also identified seven genes involved in the expression of orange and eight genes involved in the expression of black. The combination of these genes results in 32,768 different body color patterns.
Previous observations have confirmed that female guppies prefer individuals with a strong orange color or unusual patterns, and it has been hypothesized that females can distinguish between colors and patterns. However, this research suggests that females do not discriminate between them, and that stronger and more energetic individuals are simply more likely to have vivid colors and patterns.
'Genetic variation is the raw material of evolution, allowing us to adapt to climate change, disease, and more. We often look at examples like this to understand where genetic variation comes from and how it's maintained,' van der Byl said.
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