Adult predation shapes the evolution of swimming performance in guppies (Poecilia reticulata)

Predation pressure plays an important role in shaping animal behaviour and physiology, driving prey species to evolve stronger escape strategies. Swimming performance is a key trait for many aquatic organisms to evade predation. It is therefore intuitive that increased predation pressure should select for faster swimming abilities when outswimming predators is a viable option for prey. However, experimental evidence allowing for a causal link between predation and the evolution of swimming performance is currently lacking. Here, we used artificial selection lines of guppies (Poecilia reticulata) based on predation survival to test the evolutionary relationship between predation pressure and swimming speed. We used a swim tunnel with an incremental increase in water flow to test critical swimming speed. Our results show that predation-line females, but not males, outperformed those of the control lines in critical swimming speed. We also found that in predation-line females, the variance..., , ## Adult predation shapes the evolution of swimming performance in guppies (Poecilia reticulata)

Dataset DOI: [https://doi.org/10.5061/dryad.jwstqjqn3](https://doi.org/10.5061/dryad.jwstqjqn3)

Authors: Mingfang Yang, Hannah De Waele, Arjan P. Palstra, Alexander Kotrschal
Contact: Mingfang Yang: [[e-mail]](mailto:[e-mail])

## Overview

This repository provides access to the data and source code used for the associated manuscript [Adult predation shapes the evolution of swimming performance in guppies (*Poecilia reticulata*)].

## File List

* ucrit_emale.csv: data for critical swimming speed in females
* ucrit_male.csv: data for critical swimming speed in males
* ucrit_alldata.csv: data for critical swimming speed (used for output the plot)

#### Variable Descriptions:

selection line = artificial selection line
replicate = replicate within each selection line (C, P)
group = group
ind = individual in each group
ucrit = critical swimming speed (cm/s)
standard le...,