A male stickleback fish will attack other male sticklebacks that invade its nesting territory. It will only attack male fish, which display the red belly characteristic of the species. Why has natural selection favored this behavior?
A. The behavior reduces competition between species, which gives the male stickleback access to more food.
B. The behavior allows the male stickleback to attract females with its aggressive display.
C. The behavior allows the male to establish a defined space for breeding with female sticklebacks.
D. The behavior is a mechanism to reduce predation and resource competition.
Answer:C
A male stickleback fish will attack other male sticklebacks that invade its nesting territory. It will only attack male fish, which display the red belly characteristic of the species. Why has natural selection favored this behavior?
A. The behavior reduces competition between species, which gives the male stickleback access to more food. B. The behavior allows the male stickleback to attract females with its aggressive display. C. The behavior allows the male to establish a defined space for breeding with female sticklebacks. D. The behavior is a mechanism to reduce predation and resource competition.