Data from: Heterozygosity and orange colouration are strongly associated in the guppy (Poecilia reticulata)

The good-genes-as-heterozygosity hypothesis predicts that more elaborate male sexual ornaments are associated with higher levels of heterozygosity. Recent theoretical work suggests that such associations are likely to arise in finite, structured populations. We investigated the correlation between multilocus heterozygosity (MLH), which was estimated using 13 microsatellite loci, and male coloration in a wild population of guppies (Poecilia reticulata), a model species in sexual selection research. We found that MLH was a significant predictor of the relative area of orange spots, a trait that is subject to strong female preference in this species. Neither the relative area of black spots nor the number of black or orange spots was significantly correlated with MLH. We found no statistical support for local effects (i.e. strong effects of heterozygosity at specific markers), which suggests that relative orange spots area reflects genome-wide heterozygosity.Casupo_13loci_1popgenotypes of 13 microsatellite loci; Venezuelan guppies; field data; genepop file formatphenotypic_traitsBody length, height, total area of orange spots measured on the right side of the body, multilocus heterozygosity (MLH) in 9 loci in Hardy-weinberg equilibrium and in all 13 loci, for each guppy male. Individuals in the same order as in the genepop file with genotypes