BEIJING, June 28 (Xinhuanet) -- Scientists studying female Galapagos marine iguana behavior say they are sometimes too picky while searching for the right guy "to die for." Because sometimes they do.

    Prior to recent research, scientists assumed being choosy about a partner was a small ticket item, especially when eligible males roam around in tightly clustered groups and female animals don't have to travel far to find Mr. Right.

    Unfortunately, the female Galapagos marine iguana expends a lot of energy in making her choice for high-quality genetic material for her babies. 

    And visiting the more "attractive" males that provide this high-quality DNA (those that display more often) carries the highest costs in energy for the female because she can lose more weight and produce smaller eggs.

    Low body weight can also decrease the female's chances of survival, especially during an El Nino year when marine iguanas have a difficult time finding food. Those who start at a low weight are less likely to survive the season.

    Further research is needed to determine whether the genetic material the female gets outweighs the costs she pays.

    The new study is detailed in the June 27 issue of the online journal PLoS ONE.

    (Agencies)