Female fish attracted to males that exhibit gay behaviour Female fish are attracted to males that "flirt" with other males, a study has found.

Researchers discovered a tropical male fish that becomes more attractive to females when it displays homosexual behaviour. 

Scientists believe homosexuality is widespread throughout the animal kingdom. But it can be puzzling since males that prefer same sex relations father fewer offspring than their heterosexual counterparts. 

Research has shown the female Atlantic molly (Poecilia mexicana) prefer mating partners whom they saw having sex with a female - a phenomenon called mate copying. 

This also occurred when males interacted sexually with another male, according to the findings published in Biology Letters.

Male fish can therefore increase their attractiveness towards females by displaying homosexual behaviour and thereby improve their chances of future heterosexual mating, the scientists believe.