<<Could you explain how natural selection would appear to be the tribal
result of numerous sexual selections? :-) I'm not really
sure what you are getting at here.>>
I guess I suffer from unfamiliarity with the exact terminology but I find it difficult to see where the limiting factor comes in to the definition when we are dealing with larger numbers than one pair. Perhaps Peter could explain to us non- fish-scientist
s. If we say the current stream population (e.g.Jardine River) of a species e.g. M. nigrans (because the name is short) has a certain genotype and phenotype as the result of "natural selection" surely then the various local tribes (whose genotype and phe
notype may or may not be identical) are also the result of "natural selection" and so on down the line to the pair level. Is this not still "natural selection" at the pair level and if not why not?
That is what I was trying to imply in my original statement. i.e. the tribe/ population is the end result of numerous and continuous natural selections.
<<I think here that observations in the wild may help figure this one out.
Do less colourful males have a lower spawning rate that the biggest
brightest male? Are females selecting (or submitting) to certain males,
or is the largest male just dominating the smaller males and not giving
them much of a chance to mate?>>
<<Quite possible, but then wouldn't the female probably have to leave the
school to escape the males? A very interesting point to consider
though. Also, fish in the wild aren't often as "free" as they appear to
be. There is usually a good reason why they avoid certain areas due to
predators, unfavourable conditions etc>>.
<<Amazing how many folks never spend time sitting in the water just watching
the fish. I'm sure it wouldn't take too long to figure out what females
that are unreceptive to male mating efforts do to escape him or do they
just give in. It's all you Qlders fault! :-) In Vic we don't have
clear warm streams with 'bows in 'em.>>
I guess Peter has forgotten The Murray River Rainbowfish - M. fluviatilis ? But I agree "fishwatching" could provide us with a lot of vert important info.
I found the old post and have sent it.
Keep up the great dialogue everyone I am having a great time.
Bruce Hansen ANGFA (Q+N)
Attachment Converted: c:\eudora\attach\RE Lets be careful5