A multi-trait analysis of the relationship between parasitism and female preference for orange in Trinidadian guppies (<em>Poecilia reticulata</em>)

Several studies suggest that parasite-imposed selection favours elaborate sexual ornaments, as posited by the Hamilton-Zuk hypothesis. However, few have examined the prediction that selection by parasites also promotes heightened female preferences. We explored this prediction by asking whether the strength of female mate preference for the area of male orange colouration in wild Trinidadian guppy populations was associated with Gyrodactylus parasite infection metrics. We further examined how environmental factors might affect sexual selection, parasitism, and their relationship in wild guppies. Our study, based on analyses of between 9 and 17 populations, offers preliminary evidence supporting the Hamilton-Zuk hypothesis and indicates interesting avenues for further research. We found that female preferences were stronger in populations exposed to higher Gyrodactylus intensities, but only if females preferred males with more orange colouration. Orange area was not associated with any p..., The data in the path analysis dataset were compiled from published datasets, unpublished sources, and primary analyses.&nbsp;Published data sources were identified using keyword searches in online article databases. Data from the same population were matched using GPS coordinates and maps of the study sites. Most values are as published, but one female preference value was adjusted to match the scale for the other populations. Parasite values were also converted between the two focal metrics to ensure all sites had data for both variables. For some variables (canopy openness, ranked population size, guppy population density, and human disturbance level), estimates were generated based on the authors’ extensive first-hand knowledge of the sites and their conditions, as well as field notes and unpublished data. The dataset also includes the data used to calculate values&nbsp;de novo for the relative area of orange colouration on males and the strength of female preference for orange for s..., , # Data from: A multi-trait analysis of the relationship between parasitism and female preference for orange in Trinidadian guppies (*Poecilia reticulata*) [https://doi.org/10.5061/dryad.stqjq2cck](https://doi.org/10.5061/dryad.stqjq2cck) This dataset contains the data and code necessary to replicate the analyses in Clark et al. (2026), which test the relationship between *Gyrodactylus* parasitism and the strength of female mate preference for the relative area of male orange colouration in the Trinidadian guppy, *Poecilia reticulata*. The data cover 17 geographically isolated guppy populations from Trinidad’s Northern Range. The data were analyzed using structural equation modelling (path analysis). The analyses found that female preferences are positively associated with *Gyrodactylus* intensity across populations, but only if females prefer males with more orange colouration. The results further indicate complex relationships between relative orange area, the strength of female pref..., ,