A researcher claims that the bright colors of certain coral reef fish help them attract mates of the same species, rather than primarily serving as camouflage among the colorful corals.
Which finding, if true, would most strongly support the researcher's claim?
- A
Some coral reefs have been damaged by warming oceans.
- B
Coral reefs are home to many brightly colored species.
- C
Bright colors can serve different functions in different animals.
- Dcheck_circle
In experimental tanks, fish of the species in question consistently approached models painted in the species' bright colors and ignored models painted to blend in with the surrounding coral.
Explanation
A directly tests the mate-attraction function by isolating preference for the species' colors. B, C, and D are tangential.