Female redlip blennies prefer older males

The redlip blenny, Ophioblennius atlanticus , is a small polygynandrous reef fish in which the sexes hold permanent territories and reproduce monthly during the full moon phase. We observed that male feeding rate was lower during guarding and that larger males guarded longer each month, were preferred by females, and had higher mating success. Since male size and age are confounded in blennies (r = 0.51, N = 25, P = 0.008), the characteristics described above may be correlates of male age rather than size. To separate the effects of male age and size on female choice and male mating success, we have re-analysed some of our earlier data, and have incorporated additional data on age of male redlip blennies.