Guppy Simulation

1. If being flashy and colorful attracts predators, why do you think guppies are so colorful?

To attract a female mate.

2. After viewing the guppy gallery, pick the fish you find most interesting. What is the fish’s scientific name, origin and average size? Describe the coloration of the fish you chose.

Poecilia Reticulata from Brazil. It's dorsal fin is metallic green and it's main body is blue with splotches of pink and orange. 1.4 inches (3.5 cm) Guppy or millions fish


3. After viewing the predator gallery, pick the fish you find most interesting. What is the fish’s common name, scientific name, and origin?

Fat Sleepy. Dormitator maculatus. Up to 27.5 inches (70 cm). Southern and North America, Bahamas, and Latin America


4. View the guppy’s habitats, what habitat conditions would affect the predator populations?





Endler’s Discovery and Variations of Guppy’s in Pools

5. Who is John Endler? What did he study and where did he study it?

John Endler is an ethologist and a evolutionary biologist. He is renowned for his science of adaption of vertebrates and how he noted how the environment affects an organism's adaption (like color adaptation, behavior, etc.).

6. For each of the three stream areas, describe the guppy coloration:

Pool 1:

Pool 2:

Pool 3:


7. Develop your own hypothesis about guppy coloration. The hypothesis should answer the questions: Why do guppies in different areas of the stream have difference in coloration? (You can choose from the list on the simulation, or make up your own)

My hypothesis would be that a male guppy is brightly colored in order to stand out and attract the attention of a female, and as such, a male guppy's coloration would depend upon how much he can stand out in what background. If a red guppy is in waters that run red from soil that has iron in it, well, he won't stand out much. But if he were green, he would contrast well. Same said for a green guppy in a algae-ridden stream, red would be a better color. Though since I wasn't able to run my simulation, that is what I can infer, based on my knowledge of that guppies stand out to attract a mate.





Guppy Simulation


% of Brightest Guppies
(10 generations)

% of Bright Guppies
(10 generations) % of Drab Guppies
(10 generations) % of DrabbestGuppies
(10 generations)
Trial 1

Guppy: Even Mix
Predators: 30 Rivulus


Trial 2

Guppy: Even Mix
Predators: 30 Rivulus, 30 Acara


Trial 3

Guppy: Even Mix
Predators: 30 Rivulus, 30 Acara, 30 Cichlid


Trial 4

Guppy: Mostly Bright
Predators: 30 Rivulus


Trial 5

Guppy: Mostly Drab
Predators: 30 Rivulus, 30 Acara, 30 Cichlid


Summary

8. Describe how predators influence guppy coloration.



9. Was your hypothesis correct, use your data to justify your answer.



10. What does it mean that “male guppies live in a crossfire between their enemies and their would be mates”?

It means that males have to choose sides: they can choose the side of the predator: and loose its colors, hide from said predator, and live, but be unable to pass on its genes for colors that allowed it to live because a mate wouldn't have been attracted. Or it can flash bright colors and have a chance to attract a female, mate, and pass on its genes before its noticed by a predator and eaten; or be eaten first and be unable to pass on those genes that would've gotten it a mate.


11. Why do you think guppies in different areas of the stream have different coloration?

I think it would be to stand out best in their surroundings to capture to attention of their mate or loose the attention of the predator, depending on which coloration they have. So they either blend in or stand out, depending on their standings of getting a mate, or keeping their life.


12. What would happen to mostly drab guppies that were placed in a stream with very few predators?

I think they would either start to die off because they cannot reproduce because they all think the other is ugly or they would thrive because the few predators there wouldn't be able to see them, therefore eat the. Or, it could be that in the new surrounding, they actually stand out because they were colorized for it, or they could develop brighter colors because of the lack of predators.

13. What would happen to brightly colored guppies that were placed in a stream with many predators?

They'd be eaten before they can adapt, I'd assume. Or, they'd adapt very quickly and loose their bright, flashy colors and go with more drab colors.

If evolution had a thought process (which it doesn't), it might think to make guppies' eyesight adapted to see drab colors as bright and flash vice versa. I'm just saying that that would be better for the species to thrive. . . .