Figure 1.

Experimental set-up used for demonstrations and mate-choice tests. (A) Demonstrations took place in a hexagon device (Danchin et al., submitted for publication). Observer females were placed in the central arena and were able to observe 6 demonstrator trios of 1 female copulating with a male of 1 color plus an apparently non-preferred male of the other color placed in the 6 peripheral compartments. In all 6 demonstrations the female copulated with the male of the same color so that the social information provided was consistently favoring males of that color. The device “Hexagon” can be purchased from Toulouse Tech Transfer and Paul Sabatier University through a Material Transfer Agreement. (B) Mate-choice tests unfolded in double plastic tubes separated by a microscopy cover slide. The observer female was placed on one side, and 2 virgin males, 1 green and 1 pink, on the other side. The test began by lifting the partition, allowing males and females to meet.