“When humans choose the wrong mate, it can end in divorce. When cichlids choose the wrong mate, it can fuel the development of a whole new species.”
“That’s not a bad outcome for what’s usually an unfortunate mistake, and it’s one of the main reasons this colourful little fish is so exceptionally diverse, coming in a whole range of bright patterns, shapes, and sizes.”
“Usually found in the freshwater lakes of Africa, cichlids have a habit of flopping into bed with the wrong partner. When the waters are murky and the details are fuzzy, the females can accidentally introduce new genes into their population.”
View the whole story here: https://www.sciencealert.com/female-fish-can-make-a-whole-new-species-if-they-re-blind-date-goes-wrong