A Sexual Preference in the Amazon Molly, Poecilia formosa

The Amazon molly, Poecilia formosa, is an all-female species that reproduces by gynogenesis, i.e., it relies on sperm of males of closely related species to trigger embryogenesis. Sperm is supplied by males of P. latipinna and P. mexicana. Amazon mollies live in sympatry with at least one of these species, a few populations live in sympatry with two sperm-donor species. As P. formosa is sperm dependent, it needs mechanisms for species and mate recognition. To investigate the effect of rearing conditions on sexual preferences of Amazon mollies, we raised Amazon mollies in sympatry with P. latipinna and P. mexicana males. We used simultaneous choice tests to determine the effect of age on female sexual preferences. Immature Amazon mollies do not exhibit a preference if given a choice between a P. latipinna and a P. mexicana male, whereas adult P. formosa do have a preference for the P. latipinna male. We used two different stimuli in this study, live males and videotapes of males.