The University of Illinois researchers, working in Trinidad, say the answer is genetic, with the vibrant colors used to attract females.
The investigators found the most colorful male guppies exhibiting the rarest patterns are more likely to survive in the wild, as compared with males with more common colors, The Independent reported Thursday.
The scientists say predators apparently experience difficulty in targeting the fish with rarer patterns.
The study's findings appear in the journal Science.
Copyright 2006 by United Press International
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