CAREER: Defining a Sexually Selected Signal in Swordtail Fishes in Relation to Female Preferences

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The research project examines how female swordtail fishes assess multiple male traits when choosing a mate. Female swordtail fish prefer vertical-bar pigment patterns that are symmetrical with many dark bars. The various components of this pigment pattern on males can be manipulated to determine if females from different species (1) have different preferences for the bars that could explain differences in the bar pattern across species, (2) prefer males with symmetrical bars because they are in better condition, and (3) have stronger preferences for components that provide better information about male condition. The educational plan is to develop an interactive Web page for Introduction to Zoology, increase opportunities for students to gain hands-on research experience, and expand collaborative interactions with Mexican colleagues where these fish are found.One of the more important decisions any animal makes is deciding with whom it will mate. Researchers are finding that, for a diverse group of organisms including humans, mate-choice decisions are based on multiple male traits, and yet we currently know very little about how multiple preferences interact. This research project will provide a more realistic view of the process of mate choice, while the educational plan will increase the interest of students from Ohio and Mexico in research.