Tuesday, January 22, 2008

Fish Feud

This report over at NewScientist details a recent study revealing that invasive guppies (Poecilia reticulata) are sexually harassing native fish in the waters where they have been introduced. The badgering of females of other species by male guppies prevents native males from getting their mating time, and may discourage females from mating altogether. It doesn't help matters that the mating rituals of the guppies tend to be much more violent than their native competitors. The research, which focuses on the impact of the establishment of this popular aquarium fish in Mexican waters, was recently published in the journal Biology Letters (sorry, that's abstract-only, unless you or your library has a subscription).

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