Summary
The influence of parasites on mate selection and on a secondary sexual character was studied in guppies (Poecilia reticulata). In fish infected with Camallanus cotti or Gyrodactylus, females were found to prefer males with relatively few parasites, and this preference was associated with a higher display rate in less parasitised males.
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Kennedy, C.E.J., Endler, J.A., Poynton, S.L. et al. Parasite load predicts mate choice in guppies. Behav Ecol Sociobiol 21, 291–295 (1987). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00299966
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00299966