London, July 31: Big, assertive guys don’t always get the girls. In some species, such as coho salmon and quail, weedier, less aggressive males are the top choice of females, New Scientist magazine said on Wednesday.
"People just expect the dominant guy to win. But females learn through personal experience that these males can be hurtful," according to Alex Ophir, of Canada’s McMaster University in Ontario.
Mr Ophir proved the point by observing Japanese quail. After female quail watched a fight between two males they were put in the same cage with the combatants.
Virgin females preferred the winner but the females with some sexual experience tended to choose the loser.