And They Call It--- Guppy Love

"Hello darlin'.  Come here often?"

Apparently with their country's economy running on fumes and half the population out of work the intellectual giants at Italy's University of Padua have nothing better to do than spend time gauging the attractiveness of guppies and exploring their mating habits.

In an article published by Britain's Royal Society, NOT available on newsstands everywhere, Ms. Clelia Gasparini expounds at great length on the startling news that she and her colleagues at U. of P. discovered:  Male guppies use ugly friends to appear more attractive to potential mates.  Yep, old Clelia and friends have blown the lid off guppy nookie.  Finally!

In the interest of science, Gasparini and friends set up a little experiment not unlike the old Dating Game TV show.  Sans genial host, Jim Lange, these scientists placed a female guppy inside a special partition at  one end of an aquarium along with two very "hot" and brightly colored males.  In the other end of the tank an equally yummy looking Guppy hottie was positioned next to a couple of less colorful and more ordinary looking boy guppies.

Guppy mating, giving new meaning to "hook up"

When another male guppy was plopped in the center of this water filled singles bar he nearly always chose to hang with his more schlubby looking pals who were orbiting bachelorette number 2 in the "gee he has a great personality" control area of the aquarium.

I guess there are no surprises here.  The importance of a less attractive wing man when the male of any species is on bone patrol can never be underestimated.  This is precisely why I am puzzled by the absence of additional controls in this experiment.  Why not try using variations in the size of the male fish wallet for example.  Or, just for grins, how about throwing a few of the more "chesty" females into the equation?

"We got to get it together baby."

If these crazy Italians really want to get creative there is always endless possibilities when soft lights, a fine Chablis and some Barry White records are introduced to the mix.  Of course who knows what kind of aquatic damage would ensue when guppies become hotter than Monica Lewinsky at a Boy Scout Jamboree.

Wake up Italians!  Never be afraid to fly the freak flag in the name of science!