Which outcome would support assortative mating based on armor phenotype?

• A. Preference for mates with similar armor phenotype.
• B. Preference for dissimilar phenotype.
• C. No mate choice difference.
• D. Preference for random mating.

Answer: (A)

Positive assortative mating happens when individuals prefer mates who resemble themselves in a trait. If armor phenotype guides mate choice, you’ll see individuals choosing partners with the same armor type, so matings occur mostly within each armor phenotype. The result is a concentration of similar armor types in mating pairs, keeping offspring similar and reducing gene flow between different armor types. Over time, this can reinforce distinct groups and even contribute to divergence if the trait is linked to mating preferences. The other patterns describe dissimilar mating (disassortative), or no preference (random mating), which would not support assortative mating based on armor.