Table of Contents (click to enlarge)Animals Using MimicryWhat is Batesian mimicry?What is Mullerian mimicry?Why do animals mimic: Purpose and benefits Mimicry is defined as the close resemblance of one organism to another or to natural objects between which experienced.
This ability helps the animal to adapt, hunt and survive!
What comes to your mind when you see the word mimicry?
But did you know that mimicry is also one of the most fascinating concepts in nature?
Animals and plants also mimic certain characteristics of other living beings and the world around them.
The mimic octopus can mimic other sea creatures (Credit: Ethan Daniels/Shutterstock) Mimicry can be seen in animals when they exhibit physical or behavioral traits of a different species, or even aspects of the environment in which the animal is normally found.
The simple reason this occurs naturally in animals is that it provides a survival benefit.
However, they do not intentionally imitate things or other species.
Animals that use facial expressions If you’ve ever hiked in nature, chances are you’ve come within inches of stick insects.
However, you’ve probably never spotted them because they look so much like the bark they’re sitting on.
However, it is precisely this characteristic that gives them an enormous survival advantage.
Just like us, other predators are unable to detect the presence of such an animal, which prevents them from being killed in the predation.
A leafy insect blending in perfectly with the greenery (Credit: Matee Nuserm/Shutterstock) But that’s not all!
Sometimes animals also mimic other animals to avoid being eaten by larger predators.
They also mimic external features like color and shape to attract prey.
You’ll even find a number of different animals mimicking other species of their own kind to take advantage of their unique traits.
A prime example is the viceroy butterfly, which mimics the monarch butterfly in both the color and pattern of its wings.
The monarch butterfly is venomous, so the viceroy butterfly is also not eaten by predators due to the similarity of its wing pattern to that of the monarch butterfly!
Likewise, a moth Sesia crabroniformis mimics the dangerous sting wasp Vespa crabro to avoid becoming a prey.
This suggests that these plants and animals have evolved these tricks and deception methods over long periods of time to improve their chances of survival!
Also Read: Why Does the Color of Certain Animals Protect Them? What is Batesian mimicry?
Let’s try to understand this concept with an example.
Of these, only B exhibits toxic chemistry in the form of spines, spines, or other features harmful to predators.
On the other hand, A and C only look like B, but based on previous unpleasant experiences with B, the predator will avoid all A, B, and C organisms since they look so similar.
This is known as Batesian mimicry.
The similar color pattern of viceroy and monarch butterflies (Photo: Maquiladora/Shutterstock) This type of mimicry is named after Henry Walter Bates, a British scientist who pioneered observing mimicry patterns in Amazon butterflies.
Therefore, the above example of the viceroy butterfly mimicking the monarch butterfly fits well into this category.
Batesian mimicry can also be observed in milk snakes, which have the same body coloration as venomous coral snakes.
Also read: How do plants defend themselves? What is Müllerian mimicry?
This type of mimicry differs only slightly from Batesian mimicry.
A group of animals is said to exhibit Müllerian mimicry when they produce the same warning signs to indicate that they are inedible or dangerous.
However, with this type of mimicry, it is difficult to understand who is mimicking whom, as both creatures are venomous but bring equal benefits to their mutual survival.
A female wasp that resembles a bee (Credit: Pavel Krasensky/Shutterstock) Therefore, we can say that miller mimics have similar warning systems.
This can be the same pattern of bright colors on the animal’s body, indicating that the prey is inedible or poisonous to predators.
Once the predator has had a bad experience with an animal displaying such a pattern, it will avoid all similar patterns in the future.
Some prominent examples of creatures that rely on this type of mimicry are bees, wasps, and wasps, all of which are stinging insects and share the same black and yellow exterior coloring.
Why Animals Mimic: Purpose and Benefits Mimicry, like several other phenomena in plant and animal biology, is attributed to evolutionary forces.
Therefore, mimicry helps them avoid such situations and promotes survival.
The camouflage of leaf insects between plants and the mimicking of a poisonous creature by a non-venomous animal are effective methods of survival.
In addition, some animals also use this phenomenon to attract prey and meet their food needs.
A fascinating example is the orchid mantis; Unlike a regular green mantis, this variety features delicate pale purple or pink tones.
This appearance helps him fool insects that pollinate the orchids but end up preying on them!
Unlike the comedians you see on TV, animals mimic to survive, not to entertain.
This mimicry is not only spectacular but also very sneaky!
How well do you understand the article above!
Can you answer a few questions based on the article you just read?
Start quiz
Repeat the quiz
mimicry in animals.
Signals, cues, and the nature of mimicry.
The Royal Society.Batesian mimicry – an overview | ScienceDirect Topics.
ScienceDirectChapter 28: Most Spectacular Batesian Mimicry.
University of Florida Share this articleSuggested ReadingFuzz: When Nature Breaks the LawCheck on AmazonZoology: The Secret World of AnimalsCheck on AmazonA World Rising: The Global Odyssey of Migratory BirdsCheck on AmazonWas this article helpful?YesNo
Help us to improve this article