Question

This experiment is an example of hypothesis-based science. what question did the researchers ask? what question did the researchers ask? do female guppies prefer to mate with males with bright color patterns or drab colors? do killifish prefer to prey on juvenile guppies or adult guppies? can predation result in selection for color patterns in guppies? do male guppies in pools with pike-cichlid fish have brighter color patterns than females in the pool?

Answer 1

Researchers transplanted guppies from pools containing pike­cichlid fish (intense guppy predators) to pools containingkillifish (less active predators that prey mainly on juvenile guppies). They then determined whether color patterns in thetransplanted population changed over time. Researchers hypothesized that predation should result in selection for more drab colors in guppies because guppieswith bright colors are more conspicuous to predators.