New research from the world's first-ever white label dating provider has suggested that there has been a marked increase in the lesbian dating network on its site recently.

Online dating is continuing to grow in popularity but the generally accepted convention was that the most traditional and largest market is between straight daters looking for love.

However, Bone Fish - which has an affiliate portfolio of 14,000 and a member of 3.7 million - conducted an extensive survey last month and the results revealed some interesting trends.

The company has a considerable portfolio of homosexual sites - with 501 specifically aimed at the lesbian market - and the study showed that the latter is producing an outstanding conversion rate of 12.5 per cent.

Indeed, the research, published in the firm's tri-annual report, has led it to increase the opportunity for subscriptions for homosexual daters and therefore its profits, with a 30 per cent rise in new users in the past year alone.

Bone Fish has also confirmed that homosexual portals now comprise ten per cent of its affiliate online dating base, in which there are around one million members - 550,000 lesbians and 600,000 gay men.

Director Mike Fish explained that the 12.5 per cent conversion rate is the highest ever recorded on the Bone Fish Programme and that it underlines the continued rise of the online dating industry.

He said: "Over the past year we've seen the online dating industry grow in leaps and bounds with new sites coming on the scene that offer more and more specialised niche networking.

"However, the niche that has surprised us the most has been the lesbian network - a relatively untapped market that has knocked the likes of generic online dating, adult dating and even gay dating off the top spot.

"At this moment in time the lesbian market is the best converting network on the Bone Fish system and has proven to be more profitable than any other theme on our service."

The company now expects its total number of members to rise to four million by Christmas and the conversion rate of the lesbian network to hit 14 per cent by the end of the first quarter in 2009.

Mr Fish also confirmed that he was delighted with the trend because many online dating providers have been less than forthcoming in providing a service for gay and lesbian members.

"Whilst many of the big players in the online dating industry disregarded the lesbian niche and pleas from gay rights groups to create virtual spaces where lesbians and gays could date and network online, Bone Fish went ahead and created specialised niches to cater to this sector," he added.