Reproduction in contaminated waters: impacts of the antidepressant pollutant fluoxetine on sexual selection in fish

This thesis examines the environmental impacts of fluoxetine—a widely used antidepressant and environmental pollutant—on reproduction and sexual selection in fish. Fluoxetine (marketed as Prozac) targets the serotonergic system, a neurophysiological pathway conserved across species, that can potentially disrupt key traits in exposed wildlife. Through experiments with guppy populations exposed to environmentally relevant concentrations, this research demonstrates that fluoxetine disturbs male reproductive traits, influences female mate choice, and may have lasting effects even after exposure ends. Overall, these findings underscore the complex ecological and evolutionary implications of pharmaceutical pollution on critical reproductive behaviours and traits in fish.