Intruder colour and light environment jointly determine how nesting male stickleback respond to simulated territorial intrusions.

Abstract excerpt

Variation in male nuptial colour signals might be maintained by negative frequency-dependent selection. This can occur if males are more aggressive towards rivals with locally common colour phenotypes. To test this hypothesis, we introduced red or melanic three-dimensional printed-model males into the territories of nesting male stickleback from two optically distinct lakes with different coloured residents....

Topics

• Aggression
• Animals
• Color
• Male
• Phenotype
• Smegmamorpha
• Territoriality