Ecology and Evolution · 2 authors, 1 centre
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This laboratory study compared mate preference in common and white Threespine Stickleback fish, which differ in paternal care. It found that males from both ecotypes preferred larger females, but ecotype-specific preferences were also observed.
This laboratory experiment examined male and female mate choice in two Threespine Stickleback ecotypes (common and white) that differ in parental care investment. Methods included no-choice trials where males were exposed to two females and females were exposed to males, with measures of courtship frequency and time spent with a potential mate. The central result was that males from both ecotypes generally preferred larger females. Common males preferred larger females within their own ecotype, while white males preferred the largest females overall (common females). For females, white females showed no ecotype preference, while common females showed a slight preference for smaller white males. The study limitations include the use of a no-choice trial design and a limited number of potential mates, which may not fully represent natural mating conditions.
