Orange male guppies are hornier

Friday, July 11, 2025 - 18:39 in Biology & Nature

For guppies (Poecilia reticulata) getting ready to mate, the color orange speaks volumes. The more orange coloration on a male guppy, the more virile it is, according to a study recently published in the journal Nature Ecology and Evolution. The research dives into the evolutionary mystery of why male fish have such vibrant and bold colors and patterns. Throughout the animal kingdom, bright colors are used as a visual signal. The bright red, orange, or yellow hues of poisonous dart frogs act as a sign that says “better not eat me because I’m poisonous.” Color also communicates sex, particularly for animals that are active during daylight. Famously, male peacocks and many other bird species use brightly colored plumage in an effort to attract a female to mate with. Some fish species including darters and sticklebacks may also use color as a way to recognize and attract potential mates. Male parrotfish are...

Read the whole article on

More from

Latest Science Newsletter

Get the latest and most popular science news articles of the week in your Inbox! It's free!

Check out our next project, Biology.Net