Jove
Visualize
Contact Us
JoVE
x logofacebook logolinkedin logoyoutube logo
ABOUT JoVE
OverviewLeadershipBlogJoVE Help Center
AUTHORS
Publishing ProcessEditorial BoardScope & PoliciesPeer ReviewFAQSubmit
LIBRARIANS
TestimonialsSubscriptionsAccessResourcesLibrary Advisory BoardFAQ
RESEARCH
JoVE JournalMethods CollectionsJoVE Encyclopedia of ExperimentsArchive
EDUCATION
JoVE CoreJoVE BusinessJoVE Science EducationJoVE Lab ManualFaculty Resource CenterFaculty Site
Terms & Conditions of Use
Privacy Policy
Policies

Related Concept Videos

Background and Environment Affect Phenotype02:27

Background and Environment Affect Phenotype

8.2K
Although the genetic makeup of an organism plays a major role in determining the phenotype, there are also several environmental factors, such as temperature, oxygen availability, presence of mutagens, that can alter an organism’s phenotype.
An example of how genetic background affects phenotype can be seen in horses. The Extension gene in horses is responsible for their coat color. A wild-type gene (EE) produces black pigment in the coat, while a mutant gene (ee) produces red pigment. A...
8.2K
Natural Selection and Mating Preferences01:06

Natural Selection and Mating Preferences

781
The principle of natural selection posits that organisms better adapted to their environment are more likely to survive and reproduce. This principle is closely intertwined with mating preferences, a key aspect of sexual selection, which evolutionary psychologists believe is driven by instincts to propagate one's genes. Such instincts significantly influence mating behaviors and preferences between genders.
Females, due to their biological roles in conception, pregnancy, and nursing,...
781
Types of Selection01:46

Types of Selection

46.6K
Natural selection influences the frequencies of particular alleles and phenotypes within populations in several different ways. Primarily, natural selection can be directional, stabilizing, or disruptive. Directional selection favors one extreme trait and shifts the population towards that phenotype while selecting against individuals displaying alternate traits. Stabilizing selection favors an intermediate trait with a narrow range of variation. Deviation from the optimal phenotype towards an...
46.6K
Mate Choice01:20

Mate Choice

12.1K
Mate choice—the decision about whom to mate with—is a type of natural selection, since animals must reproduce to pass down their genes. Mate choice is also called intersexual selection because the behavior occurs between the sexes.
12.1K
Gene-Environment Interactions01:20

Gene-Environment Interactions

1.6K
Gene expression is a dynamic process that is significantly influenced by environmental factors. This interaction underlies the complex nature of biological development and the phenotypic differences observed among individuals, even among those with identical genetic makeups. Factors such as radiation, temperature, behavior, nutrition, and stress play pivotal roles in determining how genes are expressed. The concept of the reaction range is central to understanding this interaction. It posits...
1.6K
Criticisms of the Evolutionary Perspective01:23

Criticisms of the Evolutionary Perspective

467
In a study where individuals posing as strangers offered compliments and proposed casual sex to students, the responses differed significantly based on gender. Not a single woman accepted the proposal, while 70% of the men agreed. This outcome provides a useful scenario to explore through the lens of evolutionary psychology and social learning theory, highlighting the diverse perspectives on human sexual behaviors.
Evolutionary psychology provides one explanation for these findings, suggesting...
467

You might also read

Related Articles

Articles linked to this work by shared authors, journal, and citation graph.

Sort by
Same author

Viewing conditions predict evolutionary diversity in avian plumage colour.

Proceedings. Biological sciences·2025
Same author

Acoustic effects complement visual displays of Great Bowerbird bowers.

Behavioral ecology : official journal of the International Society for Behavioral Ecology·2024
Same author

Highly defended nudibranchs "escape" to visually distinct background habitats.

Behavioral ecology : official journal of the International Society for Behavioral Ecology·2024
Same author

Chemical defences indicate bold colour patterns with reduced variability in aposematic nudibranchs.

Proceedings. Biological sciences·2024
Same author

Cultural attraction in pottery practice: Group-specific shape transformations by potters from three communities.

PNAS nexus·2024
Same author

Signal detectability and boldness are not the same: the function of defensive coloration in nudibranchs is distance-dependent.

Proceedings. Biological sciences·2023
Same journal

Traffic Reduction during COVID-19 Lockdowns Benefited Species Already Tolerant of Noise Pollution: An Acoustic Analysis.

The American naturalist·2026
Same journal

On Pachycephalosaurs, Trade-Offs, and the Historical Genesis of Sociosexual Display Structures.

The American naturalist·2026
Same journal

Structured Landscapes Promote Persistence by Favoring Prudent Predators.

The American naturalist·2026
Same journal

Can Carbon Economy Explain Leaf Dynamic Seasonality in a Tropical Seasonal Rainforest?

The American naturalist·2026
Same journal

Behavior and Physiology Outpace Form When Linking Traits to Ecological Responses within Populations: A Meta-Analysis.

The American naturalist·2026
Same journal

Seminal Fluid Proteins as Regulation Factors for Optimizing Reproduction: A Modeling Approach.

The American naturalist·2026
See all related articles

Related Experiment Video

Updated: Apr 15, 2026

A Method to Test the Effect of Environmental Cues on Mating Behavior in Drosophila melanogaster
08:13

A Method to Test the Effect of Environmental Cues on Mating Behavior in Drosophila melanogaster

Published on: July 17, 2017

9.6K

Variable environmental effects on a multicomponent sexually selected trait.

Gemma L Cole1, John A Endler

  • 1Centre for Integrative Ecology, Deakin University, Waurn Ponds 3216, Victoria, Australia.

The American Naturalist
|March 27, 2015
PubMed
Summary
This summary is machine-generated.

Female guppies prefer specific color combinations in male coloration, with preferences varying by water environment. This suggests sexual selection acts on entire color patterns, not just individual colors.

More Related Videos

Combining Behavioral Endocrinology and Experimental Economics: Testosterone and Social Decision Making
11:51

Combining Behavioral Endocrinology and Experimental Economics: Testosterone and Social Decision Making

Published on: March 2, 2011

15.8K
Manipulation of Color Patterns in Jumping Spiders for Use in Behavioral Experiments
09:03

Manipulation of Color Patterns in Jumping Spiders for Use in Behavioral Experiments

Published on: May 21, 2019

10.2K

Related Experiment Videos

Last Updated: Apr 15, 2026

A Method to Test the Effect of Environmental Cues on Mating Behavior in Drosophila melanogaster
08:13

A Method to Test the Effect of Environmental Cues on Mating Behavior in Drosophila melanogaster

Published on: July 17, 2017

9.6K
Combining Behavioral Endocrinology and Experimental Economics: Testosterone and Social Decision Making
11:51

Combining Behavioral Endocrinology and Experimental Economics: Testosterone and Social Decision Making

Published on: March 2, 2011

15.8K
Manipulation of Color Patterns in Jumping Spiders for Use in Behavioral Experiments
09:03

Manipulation of Color Patterns in Jumping Spiders for Use in Behavioral Experiments

Published on: May 21, 2019

10.2K

Area of Science:

  • Evolutionary biology
  • Animal behavior
  • Sensory ecology

Background:

  • Multicomponent signals involve interacting elements, but their fitness consequences and environmental effects are poorly understood.
  • Existing assumptions suggest color patterns are constant across light environments with additive color effects.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate how water color affects interactions between components of male guppy coloration.
  • To determine if female guppies select individual colors or entire color patterns.

Main Methods:

  • Conducted behavioral mate choice trials with guppies (Poecilia reticulata) in four different water colors.
  • Estimated male pattern attractiveness using multivariate fitness and overall signal contrast.

Main Results:

  • Female guppies preferred groups of colors over individual colors, with optimal combinations varying by water environment.
  • Preferences were consistent with selection based on overall visual contrast of the entire color pattern.
  • Achromatic color components showed less environmental change than chromatic ones.

Conclusions:

  • Sexual selection on male guppy coloration is multivariate and context-dependent, favoring specific color combinations based on visual contrast.
  • Divergent selection is predicted for populations in different light environments.
  • Achromatic signals may serve roles in species recognition across environments, potentially leading to different evolutionary trajectories than chromatic signals.