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Mimicry - Simple English Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
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vector-toc-toggle"> <span class="vector-icon mw-ui-icon-wikimedia-expand"></span> <span>Toggle Signalling subsection</span> </button> <ul id="toc-Signalling-sublist" class="vector-toc-list"> <li id="toc-Warning_coloration" class="vector-toc-list-item vector-toc-level-2"> <a class="vector-toc-link" href="#Warning_coloration"> <div class="vector-toc-text"> <span class="vector-toc-numb">2.1</span> <span>Warning coloration</span> </div> </a> <ul id="toc-Warning_coloration-sublist" class="vector-toc-list"> </ul> </li> <li id="toc-Müllerian_mimicry" class="vector-toc-list-item vector-toc-level-2"> <a class="vector-toc-link" href="#Müllerian_mimicry"> <div class="vector-toc-text"> <span class="vector-toc-numb">2.2</span> <span>Müllerian mimicry</span> </div> </a> <ul id="toc-Müllerian_mimicry-sublist" class="vector-toc-list"> </ul> </li> <li id="toc-Batesian_mimicry" class="vector-toc-list-item vector-toc-level-2"> <a class="vector-toc-link" href="#Batesian_mimicry"> <div class="vector-toc-text"> <span class="vector-toc-numb">2.3</span> <span>Batesian mimicry</span> </div> </a> <ul id="toc-Batesian_mimicry-sublist" class="vector-toc-list"> <li id="toc-Mimicry_rings" class="vector-toc-list-item vector-toc-level-3"> <a class="vector-toc-link" href="#Mimicry_rings"> <div class="vector-toc-text"> <span class="vector-toc-numb">2.3.1</span> <span>Mimicry rings</span> </div> </a> <ul id="toc-Mimicry_rings-sublist" class="vector-toc-list"> </ul> </li> </ul> </li> </ul> </li> <li id="toc-Vavilovian_mimicry" class="vector-toc-list-item vector-toc-level-1 vector-toc-list-item-expanded"> <a class="vector-toc-link" href="#Vavilovian_mimicry"> <div class="vector-toc-text"> <span class="vector-toc-numb">3</span> <span>Vavilovian mimicry</span> </div> </a> <ul id="toc-Vavilovian_mimicry-sublist" class="vector-toc-list"> </ul> </li> <li id="toc-Aggressive_mimicry" class="vector-toc-list-item vector-toc-level-1 vector-toc-list-item-expanded"> <a class="vector-toc-link" href="#Aggressive_mimicry"> <div class="vector-toc-text"> <span class="vector-toc-numb">4</span> <span>Aggressive mimicry</span> </div> </a> <ul id="toc-Aggressive_mimicry-sublist" class="vector-toc-list"> </ul> </li> <li id="toc-Inside_a_species" class="vector-toc-list-item vector-toc-level-1 vector-toc-list-item-expanded"> <a class="vector-toc-link" href="#Inside_a_species"> <div class="vector-toc-text"> <span class="vector-toc-numb">5</span> <span>Inside a species</span> </div> </a> <button aria-controls="toc-Inside_a_species-sublist" class="cdx-button cdx-button--weight-quiet cdx-button--icon-only vector-toc-toggle"> <span class="vector-icon mw-ui-icon-wikimedia-expand"></span> <span>Toggle Inside a species subsection</span> </button> <ul id="toc-Inside_a_species-sublist" class="vector-toc-list"> <li id="toc-False_parts" class="vector-toc-list-item vector-toc-level-2"> <a class="vector-toc-link" href="#False_parts"> <div class="vector-toc-text"> <span class="vector-toc-numb">5.1</span> <span>False parts</span> </div> </a> <ul id="toc-False_parts-sublist" class="vector-toc-list"> </ul> </li> <li id="toc-Combined_tactics" class="vector-toc-list-item vector-toc-level-2"> <a class="vector-toc-link" href="#Combined_tactics"> <div class="vector-toc-text"> <span class="vector-toc-numb">5.2</span> <span>Combined tactics</span> </div> </a> <ul id="toc-Combined_tactics-sublist" class="vector-toc-list"> </ul> </li> </ul> </li> <li id="toc-Fossil_history" class="vector-toc-list-item vector-toc-level-1 vector-toc-list-item-expanded"> <a class="vector-toc-link" href="#Fossil_history"> <div class="vector-toc-text"> <span class="vector-toc-numb">6</span> <span>Fossil history</span> </div> </a> <ul id="toc-Fossil_history-sublist" class="vector-toc-list"> </ul> </li> <li id="toc-Examples" class="vector-toc-list-item vector-toc-level-1 vector-toc-list-item-expanded"> <a class="vector-toc-link" href="#Examples"> <div class="vector-toc-text"> <span class="vector-toc-numb">7</span> <span>Examples</span> </div> </a> <ul id="toc-Examples-sublist" class="vector-toc-list"> </ul> </li> <li id="toc-Related_pages" class="vector-toc-list-item vector-toc-level-1 vector-toc-list-item-expanded"> <a class="vector-toc-link" href="#Related_pages"> <div class="vector-toc-text"> <span class="vector-toc-numb">8</span> <span>Related pages</span> </div> </a> <ul id="toc-Related_pages-sublist" class="vector-toc-list"> </ul> </li> <li id="toc-References" class="vector-toc-list-item vector-toc-level-1 vector-toc-list-item-expanded"> <a class="vector-toc-link" href="#References"> <div class="vector-toc-text"> <span class="vector-toc-numb">9</span> <span>References</span> </div> </a> <ul id="toc-References-sublist" class="vector-toc-list"> </ul> </li> <li id="toc-Further_reading" class="vector-toc-list-item vector-toc-level-1 vector-toc-list-item-expanded"> <a class="vector-toc-link" href="#Further_reading"> <div class="vector-toc-text"> <span class="vector-toc-numb">10</span> <span>Further reading</span> </div> </a> <ul id="toc-Further_reading-sublist" class="vector-toc-list"> </ul> </li> <li id="toc-Other_websites" class="vector-toc-list-item vector-toc-level-1 vector-toc-list-item-expanded"> <a class="vector-toc-link" href="#Other_websites"> <div class="vector-toc-text"> <span class="vector-toc-numb">11</span> <span>Other websites</span> </div> </a> <ul id="toc-Other_websites-sublist" class="vector-toc-list"> </ul> </li> </ul> </div> </div> </nav> </div> </div> <div class="mw-content-container"> <main id="content" class="mw-body"> <header class="mw-body-header vector-page-titlebar"> <nav aria-label="Contents" class="vector-toc-landmark"> <div id="vector-page-titlebar-toc" class="vector-dropdown vector-page-titlebar-toc vector-button-flush-left" > <input type="checkbox" id="vector-page-titlebar-toc-checkbox" role="button" aria-haspopup="true" data-event-name="ui.dropdown-vector-page-titlebar-toc" class="vector-dropdown-checkbox " aria-label="Toggle the table of contents" > <label id="vector-page-titlebar-toc-label" for="vector-page-titlebar-toc-checkbox" class="vector-dropdown-label cdx-button cdx-button--fake-button cdx-button--fake-button--enabled cdx-button--weight-quiet cdx-button--icon-only " aria-hidden="true" ><span class="vector-icon mw-ui-icon-listBullet mw-ui-icon-wikimedia-listBullet"></span> <span class="vector-dropdown-label-text">Toggle the table of contents</span> </label> <div class="vector-dropdown-content"> <div id="vector-page-titlebar-toc-unpinned-container" class="vector-unpinned-container"> </div> </div> </div> </nav> <h1 id="firstHeading" class="firstHeading mw-first-heading"><span class="mw-page-title-main">Mimicry</span></h1> <div id="p-lang-btn" class="vector-dropdown mw-portlet mw-portlet-lang" > <input type="checkbox" id="p-lang-btn-checkbox" role="button" aria-haspopup="true" data-event-name="ui.dropdown-p-lang-btn" class="vector-dropdown-checkbox mw-interlanguage-selector" aria-label="Go to an article in another language. Available in 53 languages" > <label id="p-lang-btn-label" for="p-lang-btn-checkbox" class="vector-dropdown-label cdx-button cdx-button--fake-button cdx-button--fake-button--enabled cdx-button--weight-quiet cdx-button--action-progressive mw-portlet-lang-heading-53" aria-hidden="true" ><span class="vector-icon mw-ui-icon-language-progressive mw-ui-icon-wikimedia-language-progressive"></span> <span class="vector-dropdown-label-text">53 languages</span> </label> <div class="vector-dropdown-content"> <div class="vector-menu-content"> <ul class="vector-menu-content-list"> <li class="interlanguage-link interwiki-ar mw-list-item"><a href="https://ar.wikipedia.org/wiki/%D8%AA%D9%86%D9%83%D8%B1" title="تنكر – Arabic" lang="ar" hreflang="ar" data-title="تنكر" data-language-autonym="العربية" data-language-local-name="Arabic" class="interlanguage-link-target"><span>العربية</span></a></li><li class="interlanguage-link interwiki-as mw-list-item"><a href="https://as.wikipedia.org/wiki/%E0%A6%AA%E0%A6%A4%E0%A6%82%E0%A6%97%E0%A7%B0_%E0%A6%85%E0%A6%A8%E0%A7%81%E0%A6%95%E0%A6%BE%E0%A7%B0%E0%A6%BF%E0%A6%A4%E0%A6%BE_%E0%A6%86%E0%A7%B0%E0%A7%81_%E0%A6%9B%E0%A6%A6%E0%A7%8D%E0%A6%AE%E0%A6%BE%E0%A6%AC%E0%A7%B0%E0%A6%A3" title="পতংগৰ অনুকাৰিতা আৰু ছদ্মাবৰণ – Assamese" lang="as" hreflang="as" data-title="পতংগৰ অনুকাৰিতা আৰু ছদ্মাবৰণ" data-language-autonym="অসমীয়া" data-language-local-name="Assamese" class="interlanguage-link-target"><span>অসমীয়া</span></a></li><li class="interlanguage-link interwiki-zh-min-nan mw-list-item"><a href="https://zh-min-nan.wikipedia.org/wiki/G%C3%AD-th%C3%A0i" title="Gí-thài – Minnan" lang="nan" hreflang="nan" data-title="Gí-thài" data-language-autonym="閩南語 / Bân-lâm-gú" data-language-local-name="Minnan" class="interlanguage-link-target"><span>閩南語 / Bân-lâm-gú</span></a></li><li class="interlanguage-link interwiki-be mw-list-item"><a href="https://be.wikipedia.org/wiki/%D0%9C%D1%96%D0%BC%D1%96%D0%BA%D1%80%D1%8B%D1%8F" title="Мімікрыя – Belarusian" lang="be" hreflang="be" data-title="Мімікрыя" data-language-autonym="Беларуская" data-language-local-name="Belarusian" class="interlanguage-link-target"><span>Беларуская</span></a></li><li class="interlanguage-link interwiki-bg mw-list-item"><a href="https://bg.wikipedia.org/wiki/%D0%9C%D0%B8%D0%BC%D0%B8%D0%BA%D1%80%D0%B8%D1%8F" title="Мимикрия – Bulgarian" lang="bg" hreflang="bg" data-title="Мимикрия" data-language-autonym="Български" data-language-local-name="Bulgarian" class="interlanguage-link-target"><span>Български</span></a></li><li class="interlanguage-link interwiki-ca mw-list-item"><a href="https://ca.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mimetisme" title="Mimetisme – Catalan" lang="ca" hreflang="ca" data-title="Mimetisme" data-language-autonym="Català" data-language-local-name="Catalan" class="interlanguage-link-target"><span>Català</span></a></li><li class="interlanguage-link interwiki-cs mw-list-item"><a href="https://cs.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mimikry" title="Mimikry – Czech" lang="cs" hreflang="cs" data-title="Mimikry" data-language-autonym="Čeština" data-language-local-name="Czech" class="interlanguage-link-target"><span>Čeština</span></a></li><li class="interlanguage-link interwiki-da mw-list-item"><a href="https://da.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mimicry" title="Mimicry – Danish" lang="da" hreflang="da" data-title="Mimicry" data-language-autonym="Dansk" data-language-local-name="Danish" class="interlanguage-link-target"><span>Dansk</span></a></li><li class="interlanguage-link interwiki-de mw-list-item"><a href="https://de.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mimikry" title="Mimikry – German" lang="de" hreflang="de" data-title="Mimikry" data-language-autonym="Deutsch" data-language-local-name="German" class="interlanguage-link-target"><span>Deutsch</span></a></li><li class="interlanguage-link interwiki-et mw-list-item"><a href="https://et.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mimikri" title="Mimikri – Estonian" lang="et" hreflang="et" data-title="Mimikri" data-language-autonym="Eesti" data-language-local-name="Estonian" class="interlanguage-link-target"><span>Eesti</span></a></li><li class="interlanguage-link interwiki-en badge-Q17437798 badge-goodarticle mw-list-item" title="good article badge"><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mimicry" title="Mimicry – English" lang="en" hreflang="en" data-title="Mimicry" data-language-autonym="English" data-language-local-name="English" class="interlanguage-link-target"><span>English</span></a></li><li class="interlanguage-link interwiki-es mw-list-item"><a href="https://es.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mimetismo" title="Mimetismo – Spanish" lang="es" hreflang="es" data-title="Mimetismo" data-language-autonym="Español" data-language-local-name="Spanish" class="interlanguage-link-target"><span>Español</span></a></li><li class="interlanguage-link interwiki-eo mw-list-item"><a href="https://eo.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kamuflimito" title="Kamuflimito – Esperanto" lang="eo" hreflang="eo" data-title="Kamuflimito" data-language-autonym="Esperanto" data-language-local-name="Esperanto" class="interlanguage-link-target"><span>Esperanto</span></a></li><li class="interlanguage-link interwiki-eu mw-list-item"><a href="https://eu.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mimetismo" title="Mimetismo – Basque" lang="eu" hreflang="eu" data-title="Mimetismo" data-language-autonym="Euskara" data-language-local-name="Basque" class="interlanguage-link-target"><span>Euskara</span></a></li><li class="interlanguage-link interwiki-fa mw-list-item"><a href="https://fa.wikipedia.org/wiki/%D8%AA%D9%82%D9%84%DB%8C%D8%AF_(%D8%AC%D8%A7%D9%86%D9%88%D8%B1%D8%A7%D9%86)" title="تقلید (جانوران) – Persian" lang="fa" hreflang="fa" data-title="تقلید (جانوران)" data-language-autonym="فارسی" data-language-local-name="Persian" class="interlanguage-link-target"><span>فارسی</span></a></li><li class="interlanguage-link interwiki-fr mw-list-item"><a href="https://fr.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mim%C3%A9tisme" title="Mimétisme – French" lang="fr" hreflang="fr" data-title="Mimétisme" data-language-autonym="Français" data-language-local-name="French" class="interlanguage-link-target"><span>Français</span></a></li><li class="interlanguage-link interwiki-ga mw-list-item"><a href="https://ga.wikipedia.org/wiki/Aithris_(bitheola%C3%ADocht)" title="Aithris (bitheolaíocht) – Irish" lang="ga" hreflang="ga" data-title="Aithris (bitheolaíocht)" data-language-autonym="Gaeilge" data-language-local-name="Irish" class="interlanguage-link-target"><span>Gaeilge</span></a></li><li class="interlanguage-link interwiki-gv mw-list-item"><a href="https://gv.wikipedia.org/wiki/Arrishaght" title="Arrishaght – Manx" lang="gv" hreflang="gv" data-title="Arrishaght" data-language-autonym="Gaelg" data-language-local-name="Manx" class="interlanguage-link-target"><span>Gaelg</span></a></li><li class="interlanguage-link interwiki-gl mw-list-item"><a href="https://gl.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mimetismo" title="Mimetismo – Galician" lang="gl" hreflang="gl" data-title="Mimetismo" data-language-autonym="Galego" data-language-local-name="Galician" class="interlanguage-link-target"><span>Galego</span></a></li><li class="interlanguage-link interwiki-ko mw-list-item"><a href="https://ko.wikipedia.org/wiki/%EC%9D%98%ED%83%9C" title="의태 – Korean" lang="ko" hreflang="ko" data-title="의태" data-language-autonym="한국어" data-language-local-name="Korean" class="interlanguage-link-target"><span>한국어</span></a></li><li class="interlanguage-link interwiki-hy mw-list-item"><a href="https://hy.wikipedia.org/wiki/%D5%84%D5%AB%D5%B4%D5%AB%D5%AF%D6%80%D5%AB%D5%A1" title="Միմիկրիա – Armenian" lang="hy" hreflang="hy" data-title="Միմիկրիա" data-language-autonym="Հայերեն" data-language-local-name="Armenian" class="interlanguage-link-target"><span>Հայերեն</span></a></li><li class="interlanguage-link interwiki-hi mw-list-item"><a href="https://hi.wikipedia.org/wiki/%E0%A4%85%E0%A4%A8%E0%A5%81%E0%A4%B9%E0%A4%B0%E0%A4%A3" title="अनुहरण – Hindi" lang="hi" hreflang="hi" data-title="अनुहरण" data-language-autonym="हिन्दी" data-language-local-name="Hindi" class="interlanguage-link-target"><span>हिन्दी</span></a></li><li class="interlanguage-link interwiki-hr mw-list-item"><a href="https://hr.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mimikrija" title="Mimikrija – Croatian" lang="hr" hreflang="hr" data-title="Mimikrija" data-language-autonym="Hrvatski" data-language-local-name="Croatian" class="interlanguage-link-target"><span>Hrvatski</span></a></li><li class="interlanguage-link interwiki-id mw-list-item"><a href="https://id.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mimikri" title="Mimikri – Indonesian" lang="id" hreflang="id" data-title="Mimikri" data-language-autonym="Bahasa Indonesia" data-language-local-name="Indonesian" class="interlanguage-link-target"><span>Bahasa Indonesia</span></a></li><li class="interlanguage-link interwiki-it mw-list-item"><a href="https://it.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mimetismo" title="Mimetismo – Italian" lang="it" hreflang="it" data-title="Mimetismo" data-language-autonym="Italiano" data-language-local-name="Italian" class="interlanguage-link-target"><span>Italiano</span></a></li><li class="interlanguage-link interwiki-he mw-list-item"><a href="https://he.wikipedia.org/wiki/%D7%97%D7%A7%D7%99%D7%99%D7%A0%D7%95%D7%AA_%D7%91%D7%98%D7%91%D7%A2" title="חקיינות בטבע – Hebrew" lang="he" hreflang="he" data-title="חקיינות בטבע" data-language-autonym="עברית" data-language-local-name="Hebrew" class="interlanguage-link-target"><span>עברית</span></a></li><li class="interlanguage-link interwiki-ka mw-list-item"><a href="https://ka.wikipedia.org/wiki/%E1%83%9B%E1%83%98%E1%83%9B%E1%83%98%E1%83%99%E1%83%A0%E1%83%98%E1%83%90" title="მიმიკრია – Georgian" lang="ka" hreflang="ka" data-title="მიმიკრია" data-language-autonym="ქართული" data-language-local-name="Georgian" class="interlanguage-link-target"><span>ქართული</span></a></li><li class="interlanguage-link interwiki-kk mw-list-item"><a href="https://kk.wikipedia.org/wiki/%D0%9C%D0%B8%D0%BC%D0%B8%D0%BA%D1%80%D0%B8%D1%8F" title="Мимикрия – Kazakh" lang="kk" hreflang="kk" data-title="Мимикрия" data-language-autonym="Қазақша" data-language-local-name="Kazakh" class="interlanguage-link-target"><span>Қазақша</span></a></li><li class="interlanguage-link interwiki-ky mw-list-item"><a href="https://ky.wikipedia.org/wiki/%D0%9C%D0%B8%D0%BC%D0%B8%D0%BA%D1%80%D0%B8%D1%8F" title="Мимикрия – Kyrgyz" lang="ky" hreflang="ky" data-title="Мимикрия" data-language-autonym="Кыргызча" data-language-local-name="Kyrgyz" class="interlanguage-link-target"><span>Кыргызча</span></a></li><li class="interlanguage-link interwiki-lt mw-list-item"><a href="https://lt.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mimikrija" title="Mimikrija – Lithuanian" lang="lt" hreflang="lt" data-title="Mimikrija" data-language-autonym="Lietuvių" data-language-local-name="Lithuanian" class="interlanguage-link-target"><span>Lietuvių</span></a></li><li class="interlanguage-link interwiki-hu mw-list-item"><a href="https://hu.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mimikri" title="Mimikri – Hungarian" lang="hu" hreflang="hu" data-title="Mimikri" data-language-autonym="Magyar" data-language-local-name="Hungarian" class="interlanguage-link-target"><span>Magyar</span></a></li><li class="interlanguage-link interwiki-mk mw-list-item"><a href="https://mk.wikipedia.org/wiki/%D0%9C%D0%B8%D0%BC%D0%B8%D0%BA%D1%80%D0%B8%D1%98%D0%B0" title="Мимикрија – Macedonian" lang="mk" hreflang="mk" data-title="Мимикрија" data-language-autonym="Македонски" data-language-local-name="Macedonian" class="interlanguage-link-target"><span>Македонски</span></a></li><li class="interlanguage-link interwiki-ml mw-list-item"><a href="https://ml.wikipedia.org/wiki/%E0%B4%85%E0%B4%A8%E0%B5%81%E0%B4%95%E0%B4%B0%E0%B4%A3%E0%B4%82" title="അനുകരണം – Malayalam" lang="ml" hreflang="ml" data-title="അനുകരണം" data-language-autonym="മലയാളം" data-language-local-name="Malayalam" class="interlanguage-link-target"><span>മലയാളം</span></a></li><li class="interlanguage-link interwiki-ms mw-list-item"><a href="https://ms.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kemimikan" title="Kemimikan – Malay" lang="ms" hreflang="ms" data-title="Kemimikan" data-language-autonym="Bahasa Melayu" data-language-local-name="Malay" class="interlanguage-link-target"><span>Bahasa Melayu</span></a></li><li class="interlanguage-link interwiki-nl mw-list-item"><a href="https://nl.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mimicry" title="Mimicry – Dutch" lang="nl" hreflang="nl" data-title="Mimicry" data-language-autonym="Nederlands" data-language-local-name="Dutch" class="interlanguage-link-target"><span>Nederlands</span></a></li><li class="interlanguage-link interwiki-ja mw-list-item"><a href="https://ja.wikipedia.org/wiki/%E6%93%AC%E6%85%8B" title="擬態 – Japanese" lang="ja" hreflang="ja" data-title="擬態" data-language-autonym="日本語" data-language-local-name="Japanese" class="interlanguage-link-target"><span>日本語</span></a></li><li class="interlanguage-link interwiki-no mw-list-item"><a href="https://no.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mimikry" title="Mimikry – Norwegian Bokmål" lang="nb" hreflang="nb" data-title="Mimikry" data-language-autonym="Norsk bokmål" data-language-local-name="Norwegian Bokmål" class="interlanguage-link-target"><span>Norsk bokmål</span></a></li><li class="interlanguage-link interwiki-nn mw-list-item"><a href="https://nn.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mimikry" title="Mimikry – Norwegian Nynorsk" lang="nn" hreflang="nn" data-title="Mimikry" data-language-autonym="Norsk nynorsk" data-language-local-name="Norwegian Nynorsk" class="interlanguage-link-target"><span>Norsk nynorsk</span></a></li><li class="interlanguage-link interwiki-or mw-list-item"><a href="https://or.wikipedia.org/wiki/%E0%AC%B8%E0%AC%BE%E0%AC%A6%E0%AD%83%E0%AC%B6%E0%AD%8D%E0%AD%9F" title="ସାଦୃଶ୍ୟ – Odia" lang="or" hreflang="or" data-title="ସାଦୃଶ୍ୟ" data-language-autonym="ଓଡ଼ିଆ" data-language-local-name="Odia" class="interlanguage-link-target"><span>ଓଡ଼ିଆ</span></a></li><li class="interlanguage-link interwiki-pl mw-list-item"><a href="https://pl.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mimikra" title="Mimikra – Polish" lang="pl" hreflang="pl" data-title="Mimikra" data-language-autonym="Polski" data-language-local-name="Polish" class="interlanguage-link-target"><span>Polski</span></a></li><li class="interlanguage-link interwiki-pt mw-list-item"><a href="https://pt.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mimetismo" title="Mimetismo – Portuguese" lang="pt" hreflang="pt" data-title="Mimetismo" data-language-autonym="Português" data-language-local-name="Portuguese" class="interlanguage-link-target"><span>Português</span></a></li><li class="interlanguage-link interwiki-ro mw-list-item"><a href="https://ro.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mimetism" title="Mimetism – Romanian" lang="ro" hreflang="ro" data-title="Mimetism" data-language-autonym="Română" data-language-local-name="Romanian" class="interlanguage-link-target"><span>Română</span></a></li><li class="interlanguage-link interwiki-ru mw-list-item"><a href="https://ru.wikipedia.org/wiki/%D0%9C%D0%B8%D0%BC%D0%B8%D0%BA%D1%80%D0%B8%D1%8F" title="Мимикрия – Russian" lang="ru" hreflang="ru" data-title="Мимикрия" data-language-autonym="Русский" data-language-local-name="Russian" class="interlanguage-link-target"><span>Русский</span></a></li><li class="interlanguage-link interwiki-sl mw-list-item"><a href="https://sl.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mimikrija" title="Mimikrija – Slovenian" lang="sl" hreflang="sl" data-title="Mimikrija" data-language-autonym="Slovenščina" data-language-local-name="Slovenian" class="interlanguage-link-target"><span>Slovenščina</span></a></li><li class="interlanguage-link interwiki-sr mw-list-item"><a href="https://sr.wikipedia.org/wiki/%D0%9C%D0%B8%D0%BC%D0%B8%D0%BA%D1%80%D0%B8%D1%98%D0%B0" title="Мимикрија – Serbian" lang="sr" hreflang="sr" data-title="Мимикрија" data-language-autonym="Српски / srpski" data-language-local-name="Serbian" class="interlanguage-link-target"><span>Српски / srpski</span></a></li><li class="interlanguage-link interwiki-fi mw-list-item"><a href="https://fi.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mimikry" title="Mimikry – Finnish" lang="fi" hreflang="fi" data-title="Mimikry" data-language-autonym="Suomi" data-language-local-name="Finnish" class="interlanguage-link-target"><span>Suomi</span></a></li><li class="interlanguage-link interwiki-sv badge-Q17559452 badge-recommendedarticle mw-list-item" title="recommended article"><a href="https://sv.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mimikry" title="Mimikry – Swedish" lang="sv" hreflang="sv" data-title="Mimikry" data-language-autonym="Svenska" data-language-local-name="Swedish" class="interlanguage-link-target"><span>Svenska</span></a></li><li class="interlanguage-link interwiki-tr mw-list-item"><a href="https://tr.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mimikri" title="Mimikri – Turkish" lang="tr" hreflang="tr" data-title="Mimikri" data-language-autonym="Türkçe" data-language-local-name="Turkish" class="interlanguage-link-target"><span>Türkçe</span></a></li><li class="interlanguage-link interwiki-uk mw-list-item"><a href="https://uk.wikipedia.org/wiki/%D0%9C%D1%96%D0%BC%D1%96%D0%BA%D1%80%D1%96%D1%8F" title="Мімікрія – Ukrainian" lang="uk" hreflang="uk" data-title="Мімікрія" data-language-autonym="Українська" data-language-local-name="Ukrainian" class="interlanguage-link-target"><span>Українська</span></a></li><li class="interlanguage-link interwiki-vi mw-list-item"><a href="https://vi.wikipedia.org/wiki/B%E1%BA%AFt_ch%C6%B0%E1%BB%9Bc" title="Bắt chước – Vietnamese" lang="vi" hreflang="vi" data-title="Bắt chước" data-language-autonym="Tiếng Việt" data-language-local-name="Vietnamese" class="interlanguage-link-target"><span>Tiếng Việt</span></a></li><li class="interlanguage-link interwiki-yi mw-list-item"><a href="https://yi.wikipedia.org/wiki/%D7%9E%D7%99%D7%9E%D7%99%D7%A7%D7%A8%D7%99" title="מימיקרי – Yiddish" lang="yi" hreflang="yi" 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Follow the link for more information." src="//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/9/94/Symbol_support_vote.svg/19px-Symbol_support_vote.svg.png" decoding="async" width="19" height="20" class="mw-file-element" srcset="//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/9/94/Symbol_support_vote.svg/29px-Symbol_support_vote.svg.png 1.5x, //upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/9/94/Symbol_support_vote.svg/39px-Symbol_support_vote.svg.png 2x" data-file-width="180" data-file-height="185" /></a></span></div></div> </div> <div id="siteSub" class="noprint">From Simple English Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia</div> </div> <div id="contentSub"><div id="mw-content-subtitle"></div></div> <div id="mw-content-text" class="mw-body-content"><div class="mw-content-ltr mw-parser-output" lang="en" dir="ltr"><figure class="mw-halign-right" typeof="mw:File/Thumb"><a href="/wiki/File:Mimicry_by_spider.JPG" class="mw-file-description"><img src="//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/a/ae/Mimicry_by_spider.JPG/250px-Mimicry_by_spider.JPG" decoding="async" width="250" height="188" class="mw-file-element" srcset="//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/a/ae/Mimicry_by_spider.JPG/375px-Mimicry_by_spider.JPG 1.5x, //upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/a/ae/Mimicry_by_spider.JPG/500px-Mimicry_by_spider.JPG 2x" data-file-width="845" data-file-height="634" /></a><figcaption>Spider hides in flower: camouflage for defence and offence. It hides from <a href="/wiki/Birds" class="mw-redirect" title="Birds">birds</a>, and waits for small insects</figcaption></figure> <figure typeof="mw:File/Thumb"><a href="/wiki/File:Monarch_Viceroy_Mimicry_Comparison.jpg" class="mw-file-description"><img src="//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/6/63/Monarch_Viceroy_Mimicry_Comparison.jpg/250px-Monarch_Viceroy_Mimicry_Comparison.jpg" decoding="async" width="250" height="92" class="mw-file-element" srcset="//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/6/63/Monarch_Viceroy_Mimicry_Comparison.jpg/375px-Monarch_Viceroy_Mimicry_Comparison.jpg 1.5x, //upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/6/63/Monarch_Viceroy_Mimicry_Comparison.jpg/500px-Monarch_Viceroy_Mimicry_Comparison.jpg 2x" data-file-width="3800" data-file-height="1400" /></a><figcaption>Two butterfly <a href="/wiki/Species" title="Species">species</a> showing the same warning pattern: the <a href="/wiki/Monarch_(butterfly)" class="mw-redirect" title="Monarch (butterfly)">monarch</a> (left) and the <a href="/wiki/Viceroy_(butterfly)" title="Viceroy (butterfly)">viceroy</a> (right). The Monarch butterfly tastes foul and is toxic while the Viceroy doesn't taste foul and is non-toxic. This is an example of Batesian mimicry. A bird tasting a Monarch will then avoid Viceroys.</figcaption></figure> <p>In <a href="/wiki/Biology" title="Biology">biology</a>, <b>mimicry</b> is when a <a href="/wiki/Species" title="Species">species</a> <a href="/wiki/Evolution" title="Evolution">evolves</a> features similar to another. Either one or both are protected when a third species cannot tell them apart.<sup id="cite_ref-1" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-1"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>1<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup><sup id="cite_ref-2" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-2"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>2<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> Often, these features are <a href="/wiki/Vision" class="mw-disambig" title="Vision">visual</a>; one species looks like another; but similarities of sound, smell and <a href="/wiki/Behaviour" class="mw-redirect" title="Behaviour">behaviour</a> may also make the <a href="/wiki/Fraud" title="Fraud">fraud</a> seem more real. </p><p>Mimicry is related to <a href="/wiki/Camouflage" title="Camouflage">camouflage</a>, and to <a href="/wiki/Warning_coloration" class="mw-redirect" title="Warning coloration">warning signals</a>, in which species manipulate or deceive other species which might do them harm. Although mimicry is mainly a <a href="/wiki/Defence_against_predators" title="Defence against predators">defence against predators</a>,<sup id="cite_ref-3" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-3"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>3<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> sometimes predators also use mimicry, and fool their <a href="/wiki/Prey" class="mw-redirect" title="Prey">prey</a> into feeling safe. </p><p>Mimicry happens in both animal and plant species. The <i>mimic</i> is the species which looks like the <i>model</i>. The model may be living, or not. Whole groups of animals go in for mimicry as a life style, such as <a href="/wiki/Mantid" class="mw-redirect" title="Mantid">mantids</a>, <a href="/wiki/Leaf_insect" title="Leaf insect">leaf insects</a> or <a href="/wiki/Stick_insect" title="Stick insect">stick insects</a>.<sup id="cite_ref-Wickler_4-0" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-Wickler-4"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>4<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> <a href="/wiki/Camouflage" title="Camouflage">Camouflage</a>, in which a <a href="/wiki/Species" title="Species">species</a> looks similar to its surroundings, is a form of visual mimicry. </p><p>There are far more <a href="/wiki/Insect" title="Insect">insect</a> mimics than any other <a href="/wiki/Class_(biology)" title="Class (biology)">class</a> of animal,<sup id="cite_ref-Wickler_4-1" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-Wickler-4"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>4<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> but then there are far more insects than other types of animals. Indeed, 75% of all animals which have been described and named, are insects.<sup id="cite_ref-5" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-5"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>5<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> Many other kinds of animal mimics are known, including <a href="/wiki/Fish" title="Fish">fish</a>, <a href="/wiki/Plant" title="Plant">plants</a> and even <a href="/wiki/Fungi" class="mw-redirect" title="Fungi">fungi</a>, though less research has been done on these.<sup id="cite_ref-6" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-6"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>6<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup><sup id="cite_ref-7" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-7"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>7<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup><sup id="cite_ref-EB_8-0" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-EB-8"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>8<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> </p><p>Mimicry <a href="/wiki/Evolution" title="Evolution">evolves</a> because the species that are better at mimicking survive to produce more <a href="https://simple.wiktionary.org/wiki/offspring" class="extiw" title="wikt:offspring">offspring</a> than the species that are worse at mimicking. The <a href="/wiki/Genes" class="mw-redirect" title="Genes">genes</a> of the better mimics become more common in the species. Over time, mimic species get closer to their models. This is the <a href="/wiki/Process" title="Process">process</a> of <a href="/wiki/Evolution" title="Evolution">evolution</a> by <a href="/wiki/Natural_selection" title="Natural selection">natural selection</a>. </p> <meta property="mw:PageProp/toc" /> <div class="mw-heading mw-heading2"><h2 id="Avoiding_detection">Avoiding detection</h2><span class="mw-editsection"><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">[</span><a href="/w/index.php?title=Mimicry&veaction=edit&section=1" title="Change section: Avoiding detection" class="mw-editsection-visualeditor"><span>change</span></a><span class="mw-editsection-divider"> | </span><a href="/w/index.php?title=Mimicry&action=edit&section=1" title="Edit section's source code: Avoiding detection"><span>change source</span></a><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">]</span></span></div> <figure typeof="mw:File/Thumb"><a href="/wiki/File:New_England_Tree_Frog_-_Litoria_subglandulosa.jpg" class="mw-file-description"><img src="//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/0/07/New_England_Tree_Frog_-_Litoria_subglandulosa.jpg/200px-New_England_Tree_Frog_-_Litoria_subglandulosa.jpg" decoding="async" width="200" height="155" class="mw-file-element" srcset="//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/0/07/New_England_Tree_Frog_-_Litoria_subglandulosa.jpg/300px-New_England_Tree_Frog_-_Litoria_subglandulosa.jpg 1.5x, //upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/0/07/New_England_Tree_Frog_-_Litoria_subglandulosa.jpg/400px-New_England_Tree_Frog_-_Litoria_subglandulosa.jpg 2x" data-file-width="1308" data-file-height="1016" /></a><figcaption>The New England <a href="/wiki/Tree_frog" title="Tree frog">tree frog</a> (<i>Litoria subglandulosa</i>). Its brown and green hides it in the temperate woodland</figcaption></figure> <p>Since most higher animals have relatively good <a href="/wiki/Sight" title="Sight">eyesight</a>, they use it to find what they want. Both <a href="/wiki/Herbivore" title="Herbivore">herbivores</a> (animals which eat plants), and <a href="/wiki/Predator" class="mw-redirect" title="Predator">predators</a> (animals which hunt and eat other animals), use sight to find their food. <a href="/wiki/Prey" class="mw-redirect" title="Prey">Prey</a> need to avoid being eaten by predators. Their best chance is to avoid being seen. Usually, they need <a href="/wiki/Camouflage" title="Camouflage">camouflage</a>. With camouflage, an animal looks like its background, and so is more difficult to see. This is achieved in various ways: </p> <dl><dd>1. Background matching, by <a href="/wiki/Color" class="mw-redirect" title="Color">color</a> and <a href="/wiki/Shape" title="Shape">shape</a>.</dd> <dd>2. Disruptive coloration, which breaks up the body outline.</dd> <dd>3. Countershading, which flattens the appearance. Most animals have a dark back, and a light underside: this is countershading. It counters the normal effect of light from above, and makes the body shape less visible.</dd> <dd>4. Transparency and silvering, found mostly in animals living in water.<sup id="cite_ref-9" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-9"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>9<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup></dd></dl> <div class="mw-heading mw-heading3"><h3 id="Behaviour">Behaviour</h3><span class="mw-editsection"><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">[</span><a href="/w/index.php?title=Mimicry&veaction=edit&section=2" title="Change section: Behaviour" class="mw-editsection-visualeditor"><span>change</span></a><span class="mw-editsection-divider"> | </span><a href="/w/index.php?title=Mimicry&action=edit&section=2" title="Edit section's source code: Behaviour"><span>change source</span></a><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">]</span></span></div> <p>Both camouflage and mimicry work best when a <a href="/wiki/Predator" class="mw-redirect" title="Predator">predator</a> is searching from a distance. When the predator gets close to the prey, and they are sure to be found, some prey switch methods, and flee (run away) or fight back. This <a href="/wiki/Behaviour" class="mw-redirect" title="Behaviour">behaviour</a> is almost always <a href="/wiki/Instinct" title="Instinct">instinctive</a>. In any event, whether cryptic (hidden) or not, the prey's behaviour must match its mimicry. If it looks like a leaf twisting in the wind, then it has to twist in the wind. Almost all forms of mimicry involve appropriate behaviour to <a href="https://simple.wiktionary.org/wiki/reinforce" class="extiw" title="wikt:reinforce">reinforce</a> the visual impression.<sup id="cite_ref-10" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-10"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>10<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> </p> <div class="mw-heading mw-heading2"><h2 id="Signalling">Signalling</h2><span class="mw-editsection"><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">[</span><a href="/w/index.php?title=Mimicry&veaction=edit&section=3" title="Change section: Signalling" class="mw-editsection-visualeditor"><span>change</span></a><span class="mw-editsection-divider"> | </span><a href="/w/index.php?title=Mimicry&action=edit&section=3" title="Edit section's source code: Signalling"><span>change source</span></a><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">]</span></span></div> <figure class="mw-halign-right" typeof="mw:File/Thumb"><a href="/wiki/File:Epipedobates-tricolor-dreistreifen-baumsteiger.jpg" class="mw-file-description"><img src="//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/8/83/Epipedobates-tricolor-dreistreifen-baumsteiger.jpg/220px-Epipedobates-tricolor-dreistreifen-baumsteiger.jpg" decoding="async" width="220" height="157" class="mw-file-element" srcset="//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/8/83/Epipedobates-tricolor-dreistreifen-baumsteiger.jpg/330px-Epipedobates-tricolor-dreistreifen-baumsteiger.jpg 1.5x, //upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/8/83/Epipedobates-tricolor-dreistreifen-baumsteiger.jpg/440px-Epipedobates-tricolor-dreistreifen-baumsteiger.jpg 2x" data-file-width="3000" data-file-height="2142" /></a><figcaption>The <a href="/wiki/Phantasmal_poison_frog" title="Phantasmal poison frog">phantasmal poison frog</a></figcaption></figure> <figure typeof="mw:File/Thumb"><a href="/wiki/File:Dendrobates_pumilio.jpg" class="mw-file-description"><img src="//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/a/ab/Dendrobates_pumilio.jpg/220px-Dendrobates_pumilio.jpg" decoding="async" width="220" height="156" class="mw-file-element" srcset="//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/a/ab/Dendrobates_pumilio.jpg/330px-Dendrobates_pumilio.jpg 1.5x, //upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/a/ab/Dendrobates_pumilio.jpg/440px-Dendrobates_pumilio.jpg 2x" data-file-width="1000" data-file-height="709" /></a><figcaption><i>Oophaga pumilio</i>, a <a href="/wiki/Poison_dart_frog" title="Poison dart frog">poison dart frog</a>, contains numerous <a href="/wiki/Alkaloid" title="Alkaloid">alkaloids</a> which deter predators</figcaption></figure> <figure class="mw-halign-right" typeof="mw:File/Thumb"><a href="/wiki/File:Flying_Vespula_vulgaris.jpg" class="mw-file-description"><img src="//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/9/9b/Flying_Vespula_vulgaris.jpg/200px-Flying_Vespula_vulgaris.jpg" decoding="async" width="200" height="178" class="mw-file-element" srcset="//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/9/9b/Flying_Vespula_vulgaris.jpg/300px-Flying_Vespula_vulgaris.jpg 1.5x, //upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/9/9b/Flying_Vespula_vulgaris.jpg/400px-Flying_Vespula_vulgaris.jpg 2x" data-file-width="715" data-file-height="635" /></a><figcaption>Wasp in flight, with typical black & yellow warning colors</figcaption></figure> <p>Not all animals use camouflage because there are situations where it is good to show themselves off. One case is the need to find and keep a mate. Many male animals have some bright colors during the mating season, or change their behaviour and come out into the open. Without this, they might not succeed in mating. Their females, on the other hand, are usually dowdy and camouflaged. This pattern occurs in almost all animals where the male displays and the female chooses. There is at least one good reason the female stays camouflaged. The moment she is <a href="/wiki/Fertilisation" class="mw-redirect" title="Fertilisation">fertilized</a> she carries the precious cargo: the eggs that will form part of the next generation. </p> <div class="mw-heading mw-heading3"><h3 id="Warning_coloration">Warning coloration</h3><span class="mw-editsection"><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">[</span><a href="/w/index.php?title=Mimicry&veaction=edit&section=4" title="Change section: Warning coloration" class="mw-editsection-visualeditor"><span>change</span></a><span class="mw-editsection-divider"> | </span><a href="/w/index.php?title=Mimicry&action=edit&section=4" title="Edit section's source code: Warning coloration"><span>change source</span></a><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">]</span></span></div> <style data-mw-deduplicate="TemplateStyles:r9671799">.mw-parser-output .hatnote{font-style:italic}.mw-parser-output div.hatnote{padding-left:1.6em;margin-bottom:0.5em}.mw-parser-output .hatnote i{font-style:normal}.mw-parser-output .hatnote+link+.hatnote{margin-top:-0.5em}@media print{body.ns-0 .mw-parser-output .hatnote{display:none!important}}</style><div role="note" class="hatnote navigation-not-searchable">See the main article: <a href="/wiki/Warning_coloration" class="mw-redirect" title="Warning coloration">Warning coloration</a></div> <p>Animals that are dangerous, or foul to eat, usually advertise the fact. This is called warning or <i><a href="/wiki/Aposematic_coloration" class="mw-redirect" title="Aposematic coloration">aposematic coloration</a></i>. It is the exact opposite of <a href="/wiki/Camouflage" title="Camouflage">camouflage</a>. Warning colors are vivid, often some of black, white, red, yellow. </p><p>Tests show that warning colors definitely do deter predators.<sup id="cite_ref-Ruxton_11-0" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-Ruxton-11"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>11<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> </p><p>Some individual animals will die or receive damage while birds or mammals on the attack learn about the connection between color and taste. However, if warning costs less than hiding, the animal benefits. And the advertising traits such as colors may serve other functions as well. The patterns may help mate identification within the species, for instance. </p><p>The fact that some animals are genuinely dangerous or noxious (disgusting) to eat gives the opportunity for mimicry based on warning coloration: Müllerian and Batesian mimicry. </p> <div class="mw-heading mw-heading3"><h3 id="Müllerian_mimicry"><span id="M.C3.BCllerian_mimicry"></span>Müllerian mimicry</h3><span class="mw-editsection"><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">[</span><a href="/w/index.php?title=Mimicry&veaction=edit&section=5" title="Change section: Müllerian mimicry" class="mw-editsection-visualeditor"><span>change</span></a><span class="mw-editsection-divider"> | </span><a href="/w/index.php?title=Mimicry&action=edit&section=5" title="Edit section's source code: Müllerian mimicry"><span>change source</span></a><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">]</span></span></div> <figure class="mw-halign-right" typeof="mw:File/Thumb"><a href="/wiki/File:Heliconius_mimicry.png" class="mw-file-description"><img src="//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/0/0a/Heliconius_mimicry.png/230px-Heliconius_mimicry.png" decoding="async" width="230" height="231" class="mw-file-element" srcset="//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/0/0a/Heliconius_mimicry.png/345px-Heliconius_mimicry.png 1.5x, //upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/0/0a/Heliconius_mimicry.png/460px-Heliconius_mimicry.png 2x" data-file-width="2100" data-file-height="2107" /></a><figcaption>The <i>Heliconius</i> butterflies from the tropics of the Western Hemisphere are classic Müllerian mimics.<sup id="cite_ref-12" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-12"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>12<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup></figcaption></figure> <p>In Müllerian mimicry, some species with warning coloration come to look like each other. English naturalist <a href="/wiki/Henry_Walter_Bates" title="Henry Walter Bates">Henry Walter Bates</a> first noticed that some distasteful butterflies resembled one another, which he wrote about in 1862.<sup id="cite_ref-13" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-13"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>13<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> However, he did not give a good explanation; that was left to German naturalist <a href="/wiki/Fritz_M%C3%BCller" title="Fritz Müller">Fritz Müller</a> in 1878.<sup id="cite_ref-14" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-14"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>14<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> Müller's explanation was simple: <i>Both species benefit from a common pattern</i>. They share the cost of predators learning of their foul taste. Only one learning experience per predator might well be enough to deter it from eating both species. </p><p>The <a href="/wiki/Butterfly" title="Butterfly">butterflies</a> Bates, <a href="/wiki/Alfred_Russel_Wallace" title="Alfred Russel Wallace">Wallace</a> and Müller watched and collected were brightly colored and slow-moving. They often flew in groups which were highly visible. Despite this, they were avoided by <a href="/wiki/Birds" class="mw-redirect" title="Birds">birds</a>. This is typical of aposematic (warning) coloration. The coloring of some species from the same area was so perfect that even experienced naturalists could not tell them apart on the wing. </p><p>Once they were collected, and set out on a board so the details could be seen, it became clear they were not all of the same <a href="/wiki/Species" title="Species">species</a>, and often not from the same biological <a href="/wiki/Family_(biology)" title="Family (biology)">families</a>. The similar warning colors of <a href="/wiki/Hornet" title="Hornet">hornets</a>, <a href="/wiki/Wasp" title="Wasp">wasps</a> and some <a href="/wiki/Bees" class="mw-redirect" title="Bees">bees</a> is Müllerian if they live in the same geographical region, so that a predator might, before learning, choose any of them. </p><p>Tests show that birds do learn what to eat by sampling when they are young. All aspects of this situation have been the subject of research.<sup id="cite_ref-Ruxton_11-1" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-Ruxton-11"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>11<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> Field and experimental work on these ideas continues to this day.<sup id="cite_ref-15" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-15"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>15<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup><sup id="cite_ref-16" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-16"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>16<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> </p> <div class="mw-heading mw-heading3"><h3 id="Batesian_mimicry">Batesian mimicry</h3><span class="mw-editsection"><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">[</span><a href="/w/index.php?title=Mimicry&veaction=edit&section=6" title="Change section: Batesian mimicry" class="mw-editsection-visualeditor"><span>change</span></a><span class="mw-editsection-divider"> | </span><a href="/w/index.php?title=Mimicry&action=edit&section=6" title="Edit section's source code: Batesian mimicry"><span>change source</span></a><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">]</span></span></div> <figure typeof="mw:File/Thumb"><a href="/wiki/File:Mimicry_by_fly.JPG" class="mw-file-description"><img src="//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/4/41/Mimicry_by_fly.JPG/230px-Mimicry_by_fly.JPG" decoding="async" width="230" height="173" class="mw-file-element" srcset="//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/4/41/Mimicry_by_fly.JPG/345px-Mimicry_by_fly.JPG 1.5x, //upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/4/41/Mimicry_by_fly.JPG/460px-Mimicry_by_fly.JPG 2x" data-file-width="845" data-file-height="634" /></a><figcaption>A typical Batesian hoverfly<br />note waspy coloring, but only two wings and fly-type eyes</figcaption></figure> <figure typeof="mw:File/Thumb"><a href="/wiki/File:Batesplate_ArM.jpg" class="mw-file-description"><img src="//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/9/95/Batesplate_ArM.jpg/230px-Batesplate_ArM.jpg" decoding="async" width="230" height="196" class="mw-file-element" srcset="//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/9/95/Batesplate_ArM.jpg/345px-Batesplate_ArM.jpg 1.5x, //upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/9/95/Batesplate_ArM.jpg/460px-Batesplate_ArM.jpg 2x" data-file-width="1200" data-file-height="1024" /></a><figcaption>Shows Batesian mimicry between <i>Dismorphia</i> species (top row, third row) and various Ithomiini (Nymphalidae) (second row, bottom row) Bates 1862</figcaption></figure> <p>In Batesian mimicry, the mimic is a <i>sheep in wolf's clothing</i>: it looks like something dangerous or which tastes disgusting, but in reality it is good to eat. As he was exploring the <a href="/wiki/Amazon_Basin" class="mw-redirect" title="Amazon Basin">Amazon</a> valley in the 1850s, Bates collected butterflies.<sup id="cite_ref-17" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-17"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>17<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> He saw how some harmless butterflies looked like other species which were <a href="/wiki/Toxic" class="mw-redirect" title="Toxic">toxic</a>. Birds avoided them, so <i>the mimics survived even though they were good food</i>. This was the first scientific account of mimicry.<sup id="cite_ref-18" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-18"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>18<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> </p><p><a href="/wiki/Hoverfly" title="Hoverfly">Hoverflies</a> often visit flowers to feed on <a href="/wiki/Nectar" title="Nectar">nectar</a>. They are harmless insects which often mimic wasps and bees. They also fly in a slow, erratic fashion, rather like wasps and bees. Often their mimicry is not perfect, and you can easily tell them apart once they have settled. However, even an imperfect mimic might cause a bird to hesitate, and that may save their life. </p><p>Biologists still do research on Batesian and Müllerian mimicry. They study how the models differ in their foul taste; and what happens when the <a href="/wiki/Ratio" title="Ratio">ratio</a> of mimics to models varies. Quite often, it is only the female which is a mimic; the male carries the normal appearance of its <a href="/wiki/Genus" title="Genus">genus</a>. The females need more protection,<sup id="cite_ref-19" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-19"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>19<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> while the males need to mate.<sup id="cite_ref-20" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-20"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>20<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> A more subtle reason is that it halves the number of mimics, and so bolsters the effectiveness of the mimicry. Batesian mimicry might damage the warning effect if the frequency of mimics became high, because more young birds would taste them and be encouraged to try again. <i>The benefit of warning declines if there are more mimics</i>. </p><p>This may explain cases such as <i>Papilio dardanus</i>, an <a href="/wiki/Africa" title="Africa">African</a> <a href="/wiki/Swallowtail" class="mw-redirect" title="Swallowtail">swallowtail</a>, whose females mimic a number of unpalatable species from the Danaidae: survival is higher when each mimetic form is rare relative to its model. The advantage is probably greater for the females, because males do not show the mimetic patterns; sexual selection probably helps to maintain this difference. These, and other issues, have been researched for many years.<sup id="cite_ref-21" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-21"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>21<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> </p><p>With this type of insect the life is split into stages (see <a href="/wiki/Complete_metamorphosis" class="mw-redirect" title="Complete metamorphosis">complete metamorphosis</a>). The larva is the growth stage, the adult is the reproductive stage. The larvae, too, show camouflage, aposematic color and mimicry. It is the larvae that pick up the offensive chemicals from the plants they feed on. However, larvae do not show differences between male and female, because reproduction is not their function. </p> <div class="mw-heading mw-heading4"><h4 id="Mimicry_rings">Mimicry rings</h4><span class="mw-editsection"><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">[</span><a href="/w/index.php?title=Mimicry&veaction=edit&section=7" title="Change section: Mimicry rings" class="mw-editsection-visualeditor"><span>change</span></a><span class="mw-editsection-divider"> | </span><a href="/w/index.php?title=Mimicry&action=edit&section=7" title="Edit section's source code: Mimicry rings"><span>change source</span></a><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">]</span></span></div> <p>In <a href="/wiki/Tropical" class="mw-redirect" title="Tropical">tropical</a> countries, <a href="/wiki/Field_research" title="Field research">field research</a> has shown that there are large numbers of species involved in mimicry. 54 species of <i>Heliconius</i> are recognised, with over 700 named color forms.<sup id="cite_ref-22" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-22"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>22<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> There are four (or perhaps five) assemblages of butterflies, which include the heliconiines and their mimics. These 'mimicry rings' are called <i>tiger</i>, <i>red</i>, <i>blue</i> and <i>orange</i> for short. Members of each ring tend to roost together at night, fly to similar habitats and at the same time of year. Mimicry rings include both Müllerian and Batesian mimicry. </p> <div class="mw-heading mw-heading2"><h2 id="Vavilovian_mimicry">Vavilovian mimicry</h2><span class="mw-editsection"><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">[</span><a href="/w/index.php?title=Mimicry&veaction=edit&section=8" title="Change section: Vavilovian mimicry" class="mw-editsection-visualeditor"><span>change</span></a><span class="mw-editsection-divider"> | </span><a href="/w/index.php?title=Mimicry&action=edit&section=8" title="Edit section's source code: Vavilovian mimicry"><span>change source</span></a><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">]</span></span></div> <figure class="mw-halign-right" typeof="mw:File/Thumb"><a href="/wiki/File:Secale_cereale.jpg" class="mw-file-description"><img src="//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/a/a6/Secale_cereale.jpg/230px-Secale_cereale.jpg" decoding="async" width="230" height="167" class="mw-file-element" srcset="//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/a/a6/Secale_cereale.jpg/345px-Secale_cereale.jpg 1.5x, //upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/a/a6/Secale_cereale.jpg/460px-Secale_cereale.jpg 2x" data-file-width="1023" data-file-height="745" /></a><figcaption><a href="/wiki/Rye" title="Rye">Rye</a> is now a crop. Originally it was a mimetic weed of <a href="/wiki/Wheat" title="Wheat">wheat</a></figcaption></figure> <p>Vavilovian mimicry occurs in plants where a <a href="/wiki/Weed" title="Weed">weed</a> comes to look like a <a href="/wiki/Crop" title="Crop">crop</a> plant. It is named after <a href="/wiki/Nikolai_Vavilov" title="Nikolai Vavilov">Nikolai Vavilov</a>, a Russian plant breeder who discovered the idea. Before <a href="/wiki/Herbicide" title="Herbicide">herbicides</a>, weeds were plucked by hand. This has been done for thousands of years. The weeds come to look like the crop because the weeders pick those weeds which look most different. Vavilovian mimicry is caused by unintentional selection by humans. The weeds that survive pass on their <a href="/wiki/Genes" class="mw-redirect" title="Genes">genes</a>. Gradually, all the weeds look more like the crop plant.<sup id="cite_ref-23" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-23"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>23<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> </p><p>An example is <a href="/wiki/Rye" title="Rye">rye</a>, a common Mediterranean species. Rye was originally just a weed growing with <a href="/wiki/Wheat" title="Wheat">wheat</a> and <a href="/wiki/Barley" title="Barley">barley</a>. Weeding made it like the crop. Like wheat, it came to have larger seeds and more rigid spindles to which the seeds are attached. Rye is a tougher plant than wheat: it survives in harsher conditions. Having become a crop like the wheat, rye was able to become a crop plant in harsh areas, such as <a href="/wiki/Hill" title="Hill">hills</a> and <a href="/wiki/Mountains" class="mw-redirect" title="Mountains">mountains</a>. </p> <div class="mw-heading mw-heading2"><h2 id="Aggressive_mimicry">Aggressive mimicry</h2><span class="mw-editsection"><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">[</span><a href="/w/index.php?title=Mimicry&veaction=edit&section=9" title="Change section: Aggressive mimicry" class="mw-editsection-visualeditor"><span>change</span></a><span class="mw-editsection-divider"> | </span><a href="/w/index.php?title=Mimicry&action=edit&section=9" title="Edit section's source code: Aggressive mimicry"><span>change source</span></a><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">]</span></span></div> <figure typeof="mw:File/Thumb"><a href="/wiki/File:Twin_lantana_camara_edit.jpg" class="mw-file-description"><img src="//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/7/71/Twin_lantana_camara_edit.jpg/230px-Twin_lantana_camara_edit.jpg" decoding="async" width="230" height="166" class="mw-file-element" srcset="//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/7/71/Twin_lantana_camara_edit.jpg/345px-Twin_lantana_camara_edit.jpg 1.5x, //upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/7/71/Twin_lantana_camara_edit.jpg/460px-Twin_lantana_camara_edit.jpg 2x" data-file-width="1893" data-file-height="1368" /></a><figcaption>Twin flowers with <a href="/wiki/Crab_spider" title="Crab spider">crab spider</a> lurking</figcaption></figure> <p>This type of mimicry is quite common. It is the <a href="/wiki/Bible" title="Bible">bible</a> <a href="/wiki/Metaphor" title="Metaphor">metaphor</a> of the <i>wolf in sheep's clothing</i>. The mimicry works to entice a victim, who is then eaten, or otherwise taken advantage of. Angler fish, insectivorous plants and the <a href="/wiki/Cuckoo" title="Cuckoo">cuckoo</a> are all examples.<sup id="cite_ref-24" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-24"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>24<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> All these groups are widespread, and there is no doubt that the aggressive mimicry is a successful life-style. </p><p>The next two examples introduce another metaphor, that of the <i><a href="/wiki/Siren" title="Siren">siren</a></i>.<sup id="cite_ref-25" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-25"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>25<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> The Australian <a href="/wiki/Katydid" class="mw-redirect" title="Katydid">katydid</a> <i>Chlorobalius leucoviridis</i> can attract male cicadas by imitating the species-specific reply clicks of sexually receptive female cicadas. Playback experiments show that <i>C. leucoviridis</i> is able to attract males of many cicada species, even though cicada mating signals are species-specific.<sup id="cite_ref-26" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-26"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>26<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> </p> <style data-mw-deduplicate="TemplateStyles:r9671870">.mw-parser-output .side-box{margin:4px 0;box-sizing:border-box;border:1px solid #aaa;font-size:88%;line-height:1.25em;background-color:var(--background-color-interactive-subtle,#f8f9fa);display:flow-root}.mw-parser-output .side-box-abovebelow,.mw-parser-output .side-box-text{padding:0.25em 0.9em}.mw-parser-output .side-box-image{padding:2px 0 2px 0.9em;text-align:center}.mw-parser-output .side-box-imageright{padding:2px 0.9em 2px 0;text-align:center}@media(min-width:500px){.mw-parser-output .side-box-flex{display:flex;align-items:center}.mw-parser-output .side-box-text{flex:1;min-width:0}}@media(min-width:720px){.mw-parser-output .side-box{width:238px}.mw-parser-output .side-box-right{clear:right;float:right;margin-left:1em}.mw-parser-output .side-box-left{margin-right:1em}}</style><style data-mw-deduplicate="TemplateStyles:r8763172">.mw-parser-output .listen .side-box-text{line-height:1.1em}.mw-parser-output .listen-plain{border:none;background:transparent}.mw-parser-output .listen-embedded{width:100%;margin:0;border-width:1px 0 0 0;background:transparent}.mw-parser-output .listen-header{padding:2px}.mw-parser-output .listen-embedded .listen-header{padding:2px 0}.mw-parser-output .listen-file-header{padding:4px 0}.mw-parser-output .listen .description{padding-top:2px}.mw-parser-output .listen .mw-tmh-player{max-width:100%}@media(max-width:719px){.mw-parser-output .listen{clear:both}}@media(min-width:720px){.mw-parser-output .listen:not(.listen-noimage){width:320px}.mw-parser-output .listen-left{overflow:visible;float:left}.mw-parser-output .listen-center{float:none;margin-left:auto;margin-right:auto}}</style><div class="side-box side-box-right listen noprint"><style data-mw-deduplicate="TemplateStyles:r8662964">.mw-parser-output .plainlist ol,.mw-parser-output .plainlist ul{line-height:inherit;list-style:none;margin:0;padding:0}.mw-parser-output .plainlist ol li,.mw-parser-output .plainlist ul li{margin-bottom:0}</style> <div class="side-box-flex"> <div class="side-box-image"><figure class="mw-halign-center" typeof="mw:File"><span><img alt="" src="//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/8/87/Gnome-mime-sound-openclipart.svg/50px-Gnome-mime-sound-openclipart.svg.png" decoding="async" width="50" height="50" class="mw-file-element" srcset="//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/8/87/Gnome-mime-sound-openclipart.svg/75px-Gnome-mime-sound-openclipart.svg.png 1.5x, //upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/8/87/Gnome-mime-sound-openclipart.svg/100px-Gnome-mime-sound-openclipart.svg.png 2x" data-file-width="160" data-file-height="160" /></span><figcaption></figcaption></figure></div> <div class="side-box-text plainlist"><div class="haudio"> <div class="listen-file-header"><a href="/wiki/File:Chlorobalius_leucoviridis_mimicry1.ogg" title="File:Chlorobalius leucoviridis mimicry1.ogg"><i>Chlorobalius leucoviridis</i> mimicry of <i>Kobonga oxleyi</i></a></div> <div><span typeof="mw:File"><span><audio id="mwe_player_0" controls="" preload="none" data-mw-tmh="" class="mw-file-element" width="232" style="width:232px;" data-durationhint="20" data-mwtitle="Chlorobalius_leucoviridis_mimicry1.ogg" data-mwprovider="wikimediacommons"><source src="//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/transcoded/0/0e/Chlorobalius_leucoviridis_mimicry1.ogg/Chlorobalius_leucoviridis_mimicry1.ogg.mp3" type="audio/mpeg" data-transcodekey="mp3" data-width="0" data-height="0" /><source src="//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/0/0e/Chlorobalius_leucoviridis_mimicry1.ogg" type="audio/ogg; codecs="vorbis"" data-width="0" data-height="0" /></audio></span></span></div> <div class="description"><i>Kobonga oxleyi</i> cicada song with reply clicks from a <i>Chlorobalius leucoviridis</i></div></div><hr /><div class="haudio"> <div class="listen-file-header"><a href="/wiki/File:Chlorobalius_leucoviridis_mimicry2.ogg" title="File:Chlorobalius leucoviridis mimicry2.ogg"><i>Chlorobalius leucoviridis</i> mimicry of <i>Pauropsalta sp.</i></a></div> <div><span typeof="mw:File"><span><audio id="mwe_player_1" controls="" preload="none" data-mw-tmh="" class="mw-file-element" width="232" style="width:232px;" data-durationhint="26" data-mwtitle="Chlorobalius_leucoviridis_mimicry2.ogg" data-mwprovider="wikimediacommons"><source src="//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/transcoded/f/f4/Chlorobalius_leucoviridis_mimicry2.ogg/Chlorobalius_leucoviridis_mimicry2.ogg.mp3" type="audio/mpeg" data-transcodekey="mp3" data-width="0" data-height="0" /><source src="//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/f/f4/Chlorobalius_leucoviridis_mimicry2.ogg" type="audio/ogg; codecs="vorbis"" data-width="0" data-height="0" /></audio></span></span></div> <div class="description"><i>Pauropsalta sp.</i> “Sandstone” song with reply clicks from a <i>Chlorobalius leucoviridis</i></div></div></div></div> <div class="side-box-abovebelow"><hr /><i class="selfreference">Problems playing these files? See <a href="/wiki/Help:Media" title="Help:Media">media help</a>.</i></div> </div> <p>Female <a href="/wiki/Firefly" title="Firefly">fireflies</a> of the genus <i>Photuris</i> emit the same light signals that females of other <a href="/wiki/Genus" title="Genus">genera</a> use as a mating signal.<sup id="cite_ref-27" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-27"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>27<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> Further research showed male fireflies from several different genera are attracted to these mimics, and are subsequently captured and eaten. Female signals are based on that received from the male, each female having a repertoire of signals matching the delay and duration of the female of the corresponding species.<sup id="cite_ref-28" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-28"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>28<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> </p> <figure typeof="mw:File/Thumb"><a href="/wiki/File:Epinephelus_tukula_is_cleaned_by_two_Labroides_dimidiatus.jpg" class="mw-file-description"><img src="//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/4/45/Epinephelus_tukula_is_cleaned_by_two_Labroides_dimidiatus.jpg/280px-Epinephelus_tukula_is_cleaned_by_two_Labroides_dimidiatus.jpg" decoding="async" width="280" height="210" class="mw-file-element" srcset="//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/4/45/Epinephelus_tukula_is_cleaned_by_two_Labroides_dimidiatus.jpg/420px-Epinephelus_tukula_is_cleaned_by_two_Labroides_dimidiatus.jpg 1.5x, //upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/4/45/Epinephelus_tukula_is_cleaned_by_two_Labroides_dimidiatus.jpg/560px-Epinephelus_tukula_is_cleaned_by_two_Labroides_dimidiatus.jpg 2x" data-file-width="1024" data-file-height="768" /></a><figcaption>Two bluestreak <a href="/wiki/Cleaner_fish" title="Cleaner fish">cleaner</a> <a href="/wiki/Wrasse" title="Wrasse">wrasse</a> cleaning a potato <a href="/wiki/Grouper" title="Grouper">grouper</a>, <i>Epinephelus tukula</i></figcaption></figure> <p>Luring is not a necessary condition however, as the predator may have a significant advantage by not being identified as such. They may resemble a <a href="/wiki/Mutualism" class="mw-redirect" title="Mutualism">mutualistic</a> <a href="/wiki/Symbiont" class="mw-redirect" title="Symbiont">symbiont</a> or a species of little relevance to the prey. </p><p>Aggressive mimicry may be used by some <a href="/wiki/Parasite" class="mw-redirect" title="Parasite">parasites</a> as a means of getting to their next host. A parasitic <a href="/wiki/Trematode" title="Trematode">trematode</a> (flatworm) lives in the gut of <a href="/wiki/Songbird" title="Songbird">songbirds</a>. Their eggs pass out, and are then eaten by a <a href="/wiki/Snail" title="Snail">snail</a> which lives in moist environments. The eggs develop into <a href="/wiki/Larva" title="Larva">larvae</a> inside this second host. Unlike related species, these larvae are brightly colored and able to pulsate. A sac full of <a href="/wiki/Spore" title="Spore">spores</a> forces its way into the snail's eye stalks, and pulsates at high speed. This causes the tentacle to enlarge.<sup id="cite_ref-29" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-29"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>29<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> It also affects the host's behaviour: the snail moves towards light, which it usually avoids. These factors make the sporocysts highly conspicuous, and they are soon eaten by a hungry songbird. The snail then regenerates its eye stalks, and carries on with its life cycle.<sup id="cite_ref-Wickler_4-2" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-Wickler-4"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>4<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup><sup>p134</sup> </p><p><a href="/wiki/Cleaner_fish" title="Cleaner fish">Cleaner fish</a> are the allies of many other species, which allow them to eat their <a href="/wiki/Parasite" class="mw-redirect" title="Parasite">parasites</a> and dead skin. Some allow the cleaner to go inside their mouth to hunt these parasites. One species of cleaner, the bluestreak cleaner <a href="/wiki/Wrasse" title="Wrasse">wrasse</a> (<i>Labroides dimidiatus</i>), shown to the right cleaning a <a href="/wiki/Grouper" title="Grouper">grouper</a>, lives in <a href="/wiki/Coral_reef" title="Coral reef">coral reefs</a> in the <a href="/wiki/Indian_Ocean" title="Indian Ocean">Indian</a> and <a href="/wiki/Pacific_Ocean" title="Pacific Ocean">Pacific Oceans</a>. It is recognized by other fish who allow it to clean them. </p><p>Its imposter, the mimetic sabre-toothed <a href="/wiki/Blenny" title="Blenny">blenny</a> (<i>Aspidontus taeniatus</i>), also lives in the Indian Ocean. It not only looks like the wrasse in terms of size and color, but even mimics the cleaner's 'dance'. After fooling its prey into letting its guard down, the blenny then bites it, tearing off a piece of its fin before fleeing the scene. Fish attacked in this manner soon learn to distinguish mimic from model, but because the similarity is close they become much more cautious of the model as well. Due to victim's ability to discriminate between foe and helper, the blennies have evolved close similarity, right down to the regional level.<sup id="cite_ref-30" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-30"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>30<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> </p> <div class="mw-heading mw-heading2"><h2 id="Inside_a_species">Inside a species</h2><span class="mw-editsection"><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">[</span><a href="/w/index.php?title=Mimicry&veaction=edit&section=10" title="Change section: Inside a species" class="mw-editsection-visualeditor"><span>change</span></a><span class="mw-editsection-divider"> | </span><a href="/w/index.php?title=Mimicry&action=edit&section=10" title="Edit section's source code: Inside a species"><span>change source</span></a><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">]</span></span></div> <figure class="mw-default-size mw-halign-right" typeof="mw:File/Thumb"><a href="/wiki/File:Monarch_Butterfly_Danaus_plexippus_Caterpillar_2000px.jpg" class="mw-file-description"><img src="//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/0/0c/Monarch_Butterfly_Danaus_plexippus_Caterpillar_2000px.jpg/220px-Monarch_Butterfly_Danaus_plexippus_Caterpillar_2000px.jpg" decoding="async" width="220" height="176" class="mw-file-element" srcset="//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/0/0c/Monarch_Butterfly_Danaus_plexippus_Caterpillar_2000px.jpg/330px-Monarch_Butterfly_Danaus_plexippus_Caterpillar_2000px.jpg 1.5x, //upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/0/0c/Monarch_Butterfly_Danaus_plexippus_Caterpillar_2000px.jpg/440px-Monarch_Butterfly_Danaus_plexippus_Caterpillar_2000px.jpg 2x" data-file-width="2000" data-file-height="1600" /></a><figcaption>Monarch caterpillars, shown feeding, vary in toxicity depending on their diet</figcaption></figure> <figure class="mw-default-size mw-halign-right" typeof="mw:File/Thumb"><a href="/wiki/File:Gray_Hairstreak_(One_more_time...)_(6222138633).jpg" class="mw-file-description"><img src="//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/9/95/Gray_Hairstreak_%28One_more_time...%29_%286222138633%29.jpg/220px-Gray_Hairstreak_%28One_more_time...%29_%286222138633%29.jpg" decoding="async" width="220" height="220" class="mw-file-element" srcset="//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/9/95/Gray_Hairstreak_%28One_more_time...%29_%286222138633%29.jpg/330px-Gray_Hairstreak_%28One_more_time...%29_%286222138633%29.jpg 1.5x, //upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/9/95/Gray_Hairstreak_%28One_more_time...%29_%286222138633%29.jpg/440px-Gray_Hairstreak_%28One_more_time...%29_%286222138633%29.jpg 2x" data-file-width="1024" data-file-height="1024" /></a><figcaption>Many <a href="/wiki/Lycaenidae" title="Lycaenidae">Lycaenid</a> butterflies such as this gray hairstreak (<i>Strymon melinus</i>) have a false head at the rear, held upwards at rest</figcaption></figure> <p>A phenomenon sometimes called <i>auto-mimicry</i> is when the model belongs to the same species as the mimic. An example is the monarch butterfly <i>Danaus plexippus</i>, which feeds on <a href="/wiki/Milkweed" title="Milkweed">milkweed</a> plants. The butterflies store toxins from the plant, which they maintain even in their adult forms. As the levels of toxin vary depending on diet during the larval stage,<sup id="cite_ref-31" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-31"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>31<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> some monarchs will be more toxic than others. </p><p>Less palatable individuals can be thought of as mimics of the more dangerous individuals. They carry exactly the same warning colors as the more toxic individuals, but their punishment for predators is weaker. In species where one sex may be more of a threat than the other, if the two sexes look alike one can protect the other. Evidence came from a monkey from <a href="/wiki/Gabon" title="Gabon">Gabon</a>, which regularly ate male moths of the genus <i>Anaphe</i>, but promptly stopped after it tasted a noxious female.<sup id="cite_ref-32" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-32"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>32<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> </p> <div class="mw-heading mw-heading3"><h3 id="False_parts">False parts</h3><span class="mw-editsection"><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">[</span><a href="/w/index.php?title=Mimicry&veaction=edit&section=11" title="Change section: False parts" class="mw-editsection-visualeditor"><span>change</span></a><span class="mw-editsection-divider"> | </span><a href="/w/index.php?title=Mimicry&action=edit&section=11" title="Edit section's source code: False parts"><span>change source</span></a><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">]</span></span></div> <p>It is common for small prey animals to make their head less visible. Some also make the least vital part of their body look like a head. This, like the eye-spots on some butterflies, is a deflection technique. A peck or bite on the false head will just be an inconvenience, whereas a peck on the head would be fatal. </p> <div class="mw-heading mw-heading3"><h3 id="Combined_tactics">Combined tactics</h3><span class="mw-editsection"><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">[</span><a href="/w/index.php?title=Mimicry&veaction=edit&section=12" title="Change section: Combined tactics" class="mw-editsection-visualeditor"><span>change</span></a><span class="mw-editsection-divider"> | </span><a href="/w/index.php?title=Mimicry&action=edit&section=12" title="Edit section's source code: Combined tactics"><span>change source</span></a><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">]</span></span></div> <figure typeof="mw:File/Thumb"><a href="/wiki/File:Callimorpha.dominula.jpg" class="mw-file-description"><img src="//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/2/28/Callimorpha.dominula.jpg/250px-Callimorpha.dominula.jpg" decoding="async" width="250" height="140" class="mw-file-element" srcset="//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/2/28/Callimorpha.dominula.jpg/375px-Callimorpha.dominula.jpg 1.5x, //upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/2/28/Callimorpha.dominula.jpg/500px-Callimorpha.dominula.jpg 2x" data-file-width="1095" data-file-height="612" /></a><figcaption>The <a href="/wiki/Scarlet_tiger_moth" title="Scarlet tiger moth">scarlet tiger moth</a> flies by day. The front wings, camouflaged, cover the rear wings at rest. The red with black rear wings show in flight. They warn of its disgusting taste. Here the moth rests on a hand. It is alert, and has jinked the front wings forward to reveal a warning flash</figcaption></figure> <p>Many animals use more than one type of mimicry. This is seen in butterflies, who usually rest with wings folded upwards. They usually have different patterns on the underside of wings. The underside may be cryptic, while the upper side has some warning pattern. Moths, which rest with wings <a href="/wiki/Horizontal" title="Horizontal">horizontal</a>, may have different patterns on the rear wings. The rear wings are normally covered by the front wings at rest, but can be revealed if the moth is disturbed. This tactic occurs in moths which are active in daytime or <a href="/wiki/Twilight" title="Twilight">twilight</a>. The <a href="/wiki/Scarlet_tiger_moth" title="Scarlet tiger moth">scarlet tiger moth</a> uses both camouflage and warning color according to its situation. It is a fine example of how behaviour and mimicry work together. </p> <div class="mw-heading mw-heading2"><h2 id="Fossil_history">Fossil history</h2><span class="mw-editsection"><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">[</span><a href="/w/index.php?title=Mimicry&veaction=edit&section=13" title="Change section: Fossil history" class="mw-editsection-visualeditor"><span>change</span></a><span class="mw-editsection-divider"> | </span><a href="/w/index.php?title=Mimicry&action=edit&section=13" title="Edit section's source code: Fossil history"><span>change source</span></a><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">]</span></span></div> <p>The earliest known example of leaf mimicry among insects has been found in the <a href="/wiki/Middle_Jurassic" title="Middle Jurassic">Middle Jurassic</a> of 165 million years ago. The insects are <a href="/wiki/Lacewing" title="Lacewing">lacewings</a> (<a href="/wiki/Neuroptera" title="Neuroptera">Neuroptera</a>), and the leaves are from <a href="/wiki/Cycad" title="Cycad">cycads</a> or related <a href="/wiki/Gymnosperm" title="Gymnosperm">gymnosperms</a>. This is interesting because it shows this type of mimicry evolved long before <a href="/wiki/Flowering_plant" title="Flowering plant">flowering plants</a> arose.<sup id="cite_ref-33" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-33"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>33<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> </p> <div class="mw-heading mw-heading2"><h2 id="Examples">Examples</h2><span class="mw-editsection"><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">[</span><a href="/w/index.php?title=Mimicry&veaction=edit&section=14" title="Change section: Examples" class="mw-editsection-visualeditor"><span>change</span></a><span class="mw-editsection-divider"> | </span><a href="/w/index.php?title=Mimicry&action=edit&section=14" title="Edit section's source code: Examples"><span>change source</span></a><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">]</span></span></div> <ul class="gallery mw-gallery-traditional"> <li class="gallerybox" style="width: 155px"> <div class="thumb" style="width: 150px; height: 150px;"><span typeof="mw:File"><a href="/wiki/File:Kareius_bicoloratus_Camouflage.JPG" class="mw-file-description" title="Two flatfish blend in. This is dynamic camouflage: it works fast. Their nervous system works on color cells in the skin to match the gravel"><img alt="Two flatfish blend in. This is dynamic camouflage: it works fast. Their nervous system works on color cells in the skin to match the gravel" src="//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/3/3f/Kareius_bicoloratus_Camouflage.JPG/87px-Kareius_bicoloratus_Camouflage.JPG" decoding="async" width="87" height="120" class="mw-file-element" srcset="//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/3/3f/Kareius_bicoloratus_Camouflage.JPG/130px-Kareius_bicoloratus_Camouflage.JPG 1.5x, //upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/3/3f/Kareius_bicoloratus_Camouflage.JPG/173px-Kareius_bicoloratus_Camouflage.JPG 2x" data-file-width="945" data-file-height="1307" /></a></span></div> <div class="gallerytext">Two <a href="/wiki/Flatfish" title="Flatfish">flatfish</a> blend in. This is <i>dynamic camouflage</i>: it works fast. Their <a href="/wiki/Nervous_system" title="Nervous system">nervous system</a> works on color cells in the skin to match the gravel</div> </li> <li class="gallerybox" style="width: 155px"> <div class="thumb" style="width: 150px; height: 150px;"><span typeof="mw:File"><a href="/wiki/File:Choeradodis_species_showing_doral_side.jpg" class="mw-file-description" title="Camouflage for an ambush predator: Costa Rican leaf mimic mantis with decay splotch markings."><img alt="Camouflage for an ambush predator: Costa Rican leaf mimic mantis with decay splotch markings." src="//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/4/45/Choeradodis_species_showing_doral_side.jpg/90px-Choeradodis_species_showing_doral_side.jpg" decoding="async" width="90" height="120" class="mw-file-element" srcset="//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/4/45/Choeradodis_species_showing_doral_side.jpg/135px-Choeradodis_species_showing_doral_side.jpg 1.5x, //upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/4/45/Choeradodis_species_showing_doral_side.jpg/180px-Choeradodis_species_showing_doral_side.jpg 2x" data-file-width="2616" data-file-height="3488" /></a></span></div> <div class="gallerytext">Camouflage for an ambush predator: <a href="/wiki/Costa_Rica" title="Costa Rica">Costa Rican</a> leaf mimic mantis with decay splotch markings.</div> </li> <li class="gallerybox" style="width: 155px"> <div class="thumb" style="width: 150px; height: 150px;"><span typeof="mw:File"><a href="/wiki/File:Ophrys_apifera_(flower).jpg" class="mw-file-description" title="Bee orchid: flower mimics female bee; male bee pollinates flower when it tries to mate!"><img alt="Bee orchid: flower mimics female bee; male bee pollinates flower when it tries to mate!" src="//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/e/ef/Ophrys_apifera_%28flower%29.jpg/120px-Ophrys_apifera_%28flower%29.jpg" decoding="async" width="120" height="90" class="mw-file-element" srcset="//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/e/ef/Ophrys_apifera_%28flower%29.jpg/180px-Ophrys_apifera_%28flower%29.jpg 1.5x, //upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/e/ef/Ophrys_apifera_%28flower%29.jpg/240px-Ophrys_apifera_%28flower%29.jpg 2x" data-file-width="2984" data-file-height="2238" /></a></span></div> <div class="gallerytext">Bee orchid: flower mimics female bee; male bee pollinates flower when it tries to mate!</div> </li> <li class="gallerybox" style="width: 155px"> <div class="thumb" style="width: 150px; height: 150px;"><span typeof="mw:File"><a href="/wiki/File:Humpback_anglerfish.png" class="mw-file-description" title="Anglerfish. It tempts prey with the lure hanging above its head, like an angler's bait at the end of his line."><img alt="Anglerfish. It tempts prey with the lure hanging above its head, like an angler's bait at the end of his line." src="//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/1/1b/Humpback_anglerfish.png/120px-Humpback_anglerfish.png" decoding="async" width="120" height="112" class="mw-file-element" srcset="//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/1/1b/Humpback_anglerfish.png/180px-Humpback_anglerfish.png 1.5x, //upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/1/1b/Humpback_anglerfish.png/240px-Humpback_anglerfish.png 2x" data-file-width="505" data-file-height="473" /></a></span></div> <div class="gallerytext"><a href="/wiki/Anglerfish" title="Anglerfish">Anglerfish</a>. It tempts prey with the lure hanging above its head, like an angler's <a href="/wiki/Bait" title="Bait">bait</a> at the end of his line.</div> </li> <li class="gallerybox" style="width: 155px"> <div class="thumb" style="width: 150px; height: 150px;"><span typeof="mw:File"><a href="/wiki/File:Venus_Flytrap_showing_trigger_hairs.jpg" class="mw-file-description" title="The snap traps of the Venus flytrap offer a dummy flower to insects."><img alt="The snap traps of the Venus flytrap offer a dummy flower to insects." src="//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/3/37/Venus_Flytrap_showing_trigger_hairs.jpg/110px-Venus_Flytrap_showing_trigger_hairs.jpg" decoding="async" width="110" height="120" class="mw-file-element" srcset="//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/3/37/Venus_Flytrap_showing_trigger_hairs.jpg/165px-Venus_Flytrap_showing_trigger_hairs.jpg 1.5x, //upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/3/37/Venus_Flytrap_showing_trigger_hairs.jpg/219px-Venus_Flytrap_showing_trigger_hairs.jpg 2x" data-file-width="1527" data-file-height="1670" /></a></span></div> <div class="gallerytext">The snap traps of the <a href="/wiki/Venus_flytrap" title="Venus flytrap">Venus flytrap</a> offer a dummy flower to insects.</div> </li> <li class="gallerybox" style="width: 155px"> <div class="thumb" style="width: 150px; height: 150px;"><span typeof="mw:File"><a href="/wiki/File:CH_Caterpillar.jpg" class="mw-file-description" title="Caterpillar of the Spurge Hawk-moth, with vivid warning colors"><img alt="Caterpillar of the Spurge Hawk-moth, with vivid warning colors" src="//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/f/f0/CH_Caterpillar.jpg/120px-CH_Caterpillar.jpg" decoding="async" width="120" height="80" class="mw-file-element" srcset="//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/f/f0/CH_Caterpillar.jpg/180px-CH_Caterpillar.jpg 1.5x, //upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/f/f0/CH_Caterpillar.jpg/240px-CH_Caterpillar.jpg 2x" data-file-width="4368" data-file-height="2912" /></a></span></div> <div class="gallerytext">Caterpillar of the Spurge Hawk-moth, with vivid warning colors</div> </li> <li class="gallerybox" style="width: 155px"> <div class="thumb" style="width: 150px; height: 150px;"><span typeof="mw:File"><a href="/wiki/File:Tettigoniidae_mimicry.jpg" class="mw-file-description" title="Locust camouflage"><img alt="Locust camouflage" src="//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/6/68/Tettigoniidae_mimicry.jpg/120px-Tettigoniidae_mimicry.jpg" decoding="async" width="120" height="90" class="mw-file-element" srcset="//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/6/68/Tettigoniidae_mimicry.jpg/180px-Tettigoniidae_mimicry.jpg 1.5x, //upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/6/68/Tettigoniidae_mimicry.jpg/240px-Tettigoniidae_mimicry.jpg 2x" data-file-width="1280" data-file-height="960" /></a></span></div> <div class="gallerytext">Locust camouflage</div> </li> </ul> <div class="mw-heading mw-heading2"><h2 id="Related_pages">Related pages</h2><span class="mw-editsection"><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">[</span><a href="/w/index.php?title=Mimicry&veaction=edit&section=15" title="Change section: Related pages" class="mw-editsection-visualeditor"><span>change</span></a><span class="mw-editsection-divider"> | </span><a href="/w/index.php?title=Mimicry&action=edit&section=15" title="Edit section's source code: Related pages"><span>change source</span></a><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">]</span></span></div> <ul><li><a href="/wiki/Defence_against_predators" title="Defence against predators">Defence against predators</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Defence_against_herbivory" title="Defence against herbivory">Defence against herbivory</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Startle_defence" class="mw-redirect" title="Startle defence">Startle defence</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Co-evolution" class="mw-redirect" title="Co-evolution">Co-evolution</a></li></ul> <div class="mw-heading mw-heading2"><h2 id="References">References</h2><span class="mw-editsection"><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">[</span><a href="/w/index.php?title=Mimicry&veaction=edit&section=16" title="Change section: References" class="mw-editsection-visualeditor"><span>change</span></a><span class="mw-editsection-divider"> | </span><a href="/w/index.php?title=Mimicry&action=edit&section=16" title="Edit section's source code: References"><span>change source</span></a><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">]</span></span></div> <style data-mw-deduplicate="TemplateStyles:r9724317">.mw-parser-output .reflist{margin-bottom:0.5em;list-style-type:decimal}@media screen{.mw-parser-output .reflist{font-size:90%}}.mw-parser-output .reflist .references{font-size:100%;margin-bottom:0;list-style-type:inherit}.mw-parser-output .reflist-columns-2{column-width:30em}.mw-parser-output .reflist-columns-3{column-width:25em}.mw-parser-output .reflist-columns{margin-top:0.3em}.mw-parser-output .reflist-columns ol{margin-top:0}.mw-parser-output .reflist-columns li{page-break-inside:avoid;break-inside:avoid-column}.mw-parser-output .reflist-upper-alpha{list-style-type:upper-alpha}.mw-parser-output .reflist-upper-roman{list-style-type:upper-roman}.mw-parser-output .reflist-lower-alpha{list-style-type:lower-alpha}.mw-parser-output .reflist-lower-greek{list-style-type:lower-greek}.mw-parser-output .reflist-lower-roman{list-style-type:lower-roman}</style><div class="reflist reflist-columns references-column-width reflist-columns-2"> <ol class="references"> <li id="cite_note-1"><span class="mw-cite-backlink"><a href="#cite_ref-1">↑</a></span> <span class="reference-text">"Mimicry: the similarity in appearance of one species to another that affords one or both protection". King R.C. Stansfield W.D. & Mulligan P.K. 2006. <i>A dictionary of genetics</i>, 7th ed. Oxford. p278</span> </li> <li id="cite_note-2"><span class="mw-cite-backlink"><a href="#cite_ref-2">↑</a></span> <span class="reference-text">"Similarity between organisms that confers a survival advantage on one". <i>Encyclopedia Britannica</i>, 13th ed.</span> </li> <li id="cite_note-3"><span class="mw-cite-backlink"><a href="#cite_ref-3">↑</a></span> <span class="reference-text">Edmonds M. 1974. <i>Defence in animals: a survey of anti-predator defences</i>. Longmans, London.</span> </li> <li id="cite_note-Wickler-4"><span class="mw-cite-backlink">↑ <sup><a href="#cite_ref-Wickler_4-0">4.0</a></sup> <sup><a href="#cite_ref-Wickler_4-1">4.1</a></sup> <sup><a href="#cite_ref-Wickler_4-2">4.2</a></sup></span> <span class="reference-text">Wickler W. 1968. <i>Mimicry in plants and animals</i>. McGraw-Hill, New York.</span> </li> <li id="cite_note-5"><span class="mw-cite-backlink"><a href="#cite_ref-5">↑</a></span> <span class="reference-text"><style data-mw-deduplicate="TemplateStyles:r9724332">.mw-parser-output cite.citation{font-style:inherit;word-wrap:break-word}.mw-parser-output .citation q{quotes:"\"""\"""'""'"}.mw-parser-output .citation:target{background-color:rgba(0,127,255,0.133)}.mw-parser-output .id-lock-free.id-lock-free a{background:url("//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/6/65/Lock-green.svg")right 0.1em center/9px no-repeat}.mw-parser-output .id-lock-limited.id-lock-limited a,.mw-parser-output .id-lock-registration.id-lock-registration a{background:url("//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/d/d6/Lock-gray-alt-2.svg")right 0.1em center/9px no-repeat}.mw-parser-output .id-lock-subscription.id-lock-subscription a{background:url("//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/a/aa/Lock-red-alt-2.svg")right 0.1em center/9px no-repeat}.mw-parser-output .cs1-ws-icon a{background:url("//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/4/4c/Wikisource-logo.svg")right 0.1em center/12px no-repeat}body:not(.skin-timeless):not(.skin-minerva) .mw-parser-output .id-lock-free a,body:not(.skin-timeless):not(.skin-minerva) .mw-parser-output .id-lock-limited a,body:not(.skin-timeless):not(.skin-minerva) .mw-parser-output .id-lock-registration a,body:not(.skin-timeless):not(.skin-minerva) .mw-parser-output .id-lock-subscription a,body:not(.skin-timeless):not(.skin-minerva) .mw-parser-output .cs1-ws-icon a{background-size:contain;padding:0 1em 0 0}.mw-parser-output .cs1-code{color:inherit;background:inherit;border:none;padding:inherit}.mw-parser-output .cs1-hidden-error{display:none;color:var(--color-error,#d33)}.mw-parser-output .cs1-visible-error{color:var(--color-error,#d33)}.mw-parser-output .cs1-maint{display:none;color:#085;margin-left:0.3em}.mw-parser-output .cs1-kern-left{padding-left:0.2em}.mw-parser-output .cs1-kern-right{padding-right:0.2em}.mw-parser-output .citation .mw-selflink{font-weight:inherit}@media screen{.mw-parser-output .cs1-format{font-size:95%}html.skin-theme-clientpref-night .mw-parser-output .cs1-maint{color:#18911f}}@media screen and (prefers-color-scheme:dark){html.skin-theme-clientpref-os .mw-parser-output .cs1-maint{color:#18911f}}</style><cite class="citation web cs1"><a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="http://australianmuseum.net.au/Why-most-animals-are-insects">"Why most animals are insects"</a>.</cite><span title="ctx_ver=Z39.88-2004&rft_val_fmt=info%3Aofi%2Ffmt%3Akev%3Amtx%3Abook&rft.genre=unknown&rft.btitle=Why+most+animals+are+insects&rft_id=http%3A%2F%2Faustralianmuseum.net.au%2FWhy-most-animals-are-insects&rfr_id=info%3Asid%2Fsimple.wikipedia.org%3AMimicry" class="Z3988"></span></span> </li> <li id="cite_note-6"><span class="mw-cite-backlink"><a href="#cite_ref-6">↑</a></span> <span class="reference-text">Boyden T.C. 1980. Floral mimicry by <i>Epidendrum ibaguense</i> (Orchidaceae) in Panama. <i>Evolution</i> <b>34</b>:135-136.</span> </li> <li id="cite_note-7"><span class="mw-cite-backlink"><a href="#cite_ref-7">↑</a></span> <span class="reference-text">Roy B.A. 1994. The effects of pathogen-induced pseudoflowers and buttercups on each other's insect visitation. <i>Ecology</i> <b>75</b>:352-358.</span> </li> <li id="cite_note-EB-8"><span class="mw-cite-backlink"><a href="#cite_ref-EB_8-0">↑</a></span> <span class="reference-text">Wickler, Wolfgang 1998. “Mimicry”. <i><a href="/wiki/Encyclop%C3%A6dia_Britannica" title="Encyclopædia Britannica">Encyclopædia Britannica</a></i>, 15th edition. Macropædia 24, 144–151. <a rel="nofollow" class="external free" href="http://www.britannica.com/eb/article-11910">http://www.britannica.com/eb/article-11910</a></span> </li> <li id="cite_note-9"><span class="mw-cite-backlink"><a href="#cite_ref-9">↑</a></span> <span class="reference-text">Cott, Hugh B. 1940. <i>Adaptive colouration [sic] in animals</i>. Methuen, London.</span> </li> <li id="cite_note-10"><span class="mw-cite-backlink"><a href="#cite_ref-10">↑</a></span> <span class="reference-text">Brower L.P. 1988. <i>Mimicry and the evolutionary process</i>. Chicago.</span> </li> <li id="cite_note-Ruxton-11"><span class="mw-cite-backlink">↑ <sup><a href="#cite_ref-Ruxton_11-0">11.0</a></sup> <sup><a href="#cite_ref-Ruxton_11-1">11.1</a></sup></span> <span class="reference-text">Ruxton G.D. Sherratt T.N. and Speed M.P. 2004. <i>Avoiding attack: the evolutionary ecology of crypsis, warning signals & mimicry</i>. Oxford. p55 5.3 Chemical defences.</span> </li> <li id="cite_note-12"><span class="mw-cite-backlink"><a href="#cite_ref-12">↑</a></span> <span class="reference-text">Meyer A. 2006. Repeating patterns of mimicry. <i>PLoS Biol</i> <b>4</b> (10): e341 doi:10.1371/journal.pbio.0040341</span> </li> <li id="cite_note-13"><span class="mw-cite-backlink"><a href="#cite_ref-13">↑</a></span> <span class="reference-text">Bates H.W. 1862. Contributions to an insect fauna of the Amazon Valley. Lepidoptera: Heliconidae. <i>Transactions of the Entomological Society</i> <b>23</b>, 3, 495-566.</span> </li> <li id="cite_note-14"><span class="mw-cite-backlink"><a href="#cite_ref-14">↑</a></span> <span class="reference-text">Müller, Fritz 1878. Über die Vortheile der Mimicry bei Schmetterlingen. <i>Zoologischer Anzeiger</i> <b>1</b>, 54–55. Also: Müller F. 1879. <i>Ituna</i> and <i>Thyridia</i>: a remarkable case of mimicry in butterflies. (transl. R. Meldola) <i>Proceedings of the Entomological Society of London</i> 20-29.</span> </li> <li id="cite_note-15"><span class="mw-cite-backlink"><a href="#cite_ref-15">↑</a></span> <span class="reference-text">Mallet, James 2001. The speciation revolution. <i>J Evolutionary Biology</i> <b>14</b>, 887-8.</span> </li> <li id="cite_note-16"><span class="mw-cite-backlink"><a href="#cite_ref-16">↑</a></span> <span class="reference-text">Mallet J. and Joron M. 1999. Evolution in diversity in warning color and mimicry: polymorphisms, shifting balance and speciation. <i>Annual Review of Ecological Systematics</i> 1999. <b>30</b> 201–233</span> </li> <li id="cite_note-17"><span class="mw-cite-backlink"><a href="#cite_ref-17">↑</a></span> <span class="reference-text">Moon H.P. 1976. <i>Henry Walter Bates FRS 1825-1892: explorer, scientist and darwinian</i>. Leicestershire Museums, Leicester.</span> </li> <li id="cite_note-18"><span class="mw-cite-backlink"><a href="#cite_ref-18">↑</a></span> <span class="reference-text">Carpenter GDH and Ford EB 1933. <i>Mimicry</i>. Methuen, London.</span> </li> <li id="cite_note-19"><span class="mw-cite-backlink"><a href="#cite_ref-19">↑</a></span> <span class="reference-text">Given an equal chance, birds will choose more females, because they are generally larger and more nutritious (those eggs again!)</span> </li> <li id="cite_note-20"><span class="mw-cite-backlink"><a href="#cite_ref-20">↑</a></span> <span class="reference-text">Usually, females choose 'suitable' males for mating. Suitability means looking and behaving like a male of the same species in good health ('mate recognition'). Hence it may not be advantageous for males to change their appearance.</span> </li> <li id="cite_note-21"><span class="mw-cite-backlink"><a href="#cite_ref-21">↑</a></span> <span class="reference-text">Sharratt, Thomas N. 2007. Mimicry on the edge. <i>Nature</i> <b>448</b> 34–35.</span> </li> <li id="cite_note-22"><span class="mw-cite-backlink"><a href="#cite_ref-22">↑</a></span> <span class="reference-text">Brower A.V.Z. 1996. Parallel race formation and the evolution of mimicry in <i>Heliconius</i> butterflies: a phylogenetic hypothesis from mitochondrial DNA sequences. <i>Evolution</i> <b>50</b> 195–221.</span> </li> <li id="cite_note-23"><span class="mw-cite-backlink"><a href="#cite_ref-23">↑</a></span> <span class="reference-text">Vavilov N. 1992. <i>The origin and geography of cultivated plants</i>. translated by Doris Love. Cambridge.</span> </li> <li id="cite_note-24"><span class="mw-cite-backlink"><a href="#cite_ref-24">↑</a></span> <span class="reference-text">Wickler W. 1968. <i>Mimicry in plants and animals</i>. McGraw-Hill, New York, gives many examples and illustrations in chapters 13 and 15.</span> </li> <li id="cite_note-25"><span class="mw-cite-backlink"><a href="#cite_ref-25">↑</a></span> <span class="reference-text">Greek mythology: the singing of the sirens lured sailors onto the rocks.</span> </li> <li id="cite_note-26"><span class="mw-cite-backlink"><a href="#cite_ref-26">↑</a></span> <span class="reference-text">Marshall D.C. and K.B.R. Hill. 2009. Versatile aggressive mimicry of cicadas by an Australian predatory katydid. <i>PLoS</i> One. <b>4</b>:1 e4185. <a rel="nofollow" class="external autonumber" href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2615208/">[1]</a></span> </li> <li id="cite_note-27"><span class="mw-cite-backlink"><a href="#cite_ref-27">↑</a></span> <span class="reference-text">Lloyd J.E. 1965. Aggressive mimicry in <i>Photuris</i>: firefly femmes fatales. <i>Science</i> <b>149</b>:653-654.</span> </li> <li id="cite_note-28"><span class="mw-cite-backlink"><a href="#cite_ref-28">↑</a></span> <span class="reference-text">Lloyd J.E. 1975. Aggressive mimicry in <i>Photuris</i> fireflies: signal repertoires by femmes fatales. <i>Science</i>. <b>187</b>:452-453.</span> </li> <li id="cite_note-29"><span class="mw-cite-backlink"><a href="#cite_ref-29">↑</a></span> <span class="reference-text">See <a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="http://www.semioticon.com/seo/M/images/mimicry_2.jpg">here</a> <a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="https://web.archive.org/web/20111102034932/http://www.semioticon.com/seo/M/images/mimicry_2.jpg">Archived</a> 2011-11-02 at the <a href="/wiki/Wayback_Machine" title="Wayback Machine">Wayback Machine</a> for a photo showing snail with enlarged, colored eye-stalks looking like plump insect larvae.</span> </li> <li id="cite_note-30"><span class="mw-cite-backlink"><a href="#cite_ref-30">↑</a></span> <span class="reference-text"><link rel="mw-deduplicated-inline-style" href="mw-data:TemplateStyles:r9724332"><cite id="CITEREFWickler1966" class="citation journal cs1">Wickler, W. (1966). "Mimicry in tropical fishes". <i>Philosophical Transactions of the Royal Society of London. Series B, Biological Sciences</i>. <b>251</b> (772): 473–474. <a href="/wiki/Bibcode_(identifier)" class="mw-redirect" title="Bibcode (identifier)">Bibcode</a>:<a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="https://ui.adsabs.harvard.edu/abs/1966RSPTB.251..473W">1966RSPTB.251..473W</a>. <a href="/wiki/Doi_(identifier)" class="mw-redirect" title="Doi (identifier)">doi</a>:<a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="https://doi.org/10.1098%2Frstb.1966.0036">10.1098/rstb.1966.0036</a>. <a href="/wiki/S2CID_(identifier)" class="mw-redirect" title="S2CID (identifier)">S2CID</a> <a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="https://api.semanticscholar.org/CorpusID:83609965">83609965</a>.</cite><span title="ctx_ver=Z39.88-2004&rft_val_fmt=info%3Aofi%2Ffmt%3Akev%3Amtx%3Ajournal&rft.genre=article&rft.jtitle=Philosophical+Transactions+of+the+Royal+Society+of+London.+Series+B%2C+Biological+Sciences&rft.atitle=Mimicry+in+tropical+fishes&rft.volume=251&rft.issue=772&rft.pages=473-474&rft.date=1966&rft_id=https%3A%2F%2Fapi.semanticscholar.org%2FCorpusID%3A83609965%23id-name%3DS2CID&rft_id=info%3Adoi%2F10.1098%2Frstb.1966.0036&rft_id=info%3Abibcode%2F1966RSPTB.251..473W&rft.aulast=Wickler&rft.aufirst=W.&rfr_id=info%3Asid%2Fsimple.wikipedia.org%3AMimicry" class="Z3988"></span></span> </li> <li id="cite_note-31"><span class="mw-cite-backlink"><a href="#cite_ref-31">↑</a></span> <span class="reference-text">because individual plants vary</span> </li> <li id="cite_note-32"><span class="mw-cite-backlink"><a href="#cite_ref-32">↑</a></span> <span class="reference-text">Bigot L. & Jouventin P. 1974. Quelques expériences de comestibilité de Lépidoptères gabonais faites avec le mandrill, le cercocèbe à joues grises et legarde-boeufs. <i>Terre Vie</i> <b>28</b>:521-43.</span> </li> <li id="cite_note-33"><span class="mw-cite-backlink"><a href="#cite_ref-33">↑</a></span> <span class="reference-text">Wang Y. <i>et al.</i> 2010. Ancient pinnate leaf mimesis among lacewings. <i>Proc Natl Acad Sci USA</i>. <b>107</b>(37):16212-5. <a rel="nofollow" class="external autonumber" href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/20805491">[2]</a></span> </li> </ol></div> <link rel="mw-deduplicated-inline-style" href="mw-data:TemplateStyles:r9671870"><style data-mw-deduplicate="TemplateStyles:r9671876">@media print{body.ns-0 .mw-parser-output .sistersitebox{display:none!important}}@media screen{html.skin-theme-clientpref-night .mw-parser-output .sistersitebox img[src*="Wiktionary-logo-en-v2.svg"]{background-color:white}}@media screen and (prefers-color-scheme:dark){html.skin-theme-clientpref-os .mw-parser-output .sistersitebox img[src*="Wiktionary-logo-en-v2.svg"]{background-color:white}}</style><div class="side-box side-box-right plainlinks sistersitebox"><link rel="mw-deduplicated-inline-style" href="mw-data:TemplateStyles:r8662964"> <div class="side-box-flex"> <div class="side-box-image"><span class="noviewer" typeof="mw:File"><span><img alt="" src="//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/4/4a/Commons-logo.svg/30px-Commons-logo.svg.png" decoding="async" width="30" height="40" class="mw-file-element" srcset="//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/4/4a/Commons-logo.svg/45px-Commons-logo.svg.png 1.5x, //upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/4/4a/Commons-logo.svg/59px-Commons-logo.svg.png 2x" data-file-width="1024" data-file-height="1376" /></span></span></div> <div class="side-box-text plainlist">Wikimedia Commons has media related to <i><b><a href="https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/Category:Mimicry" class="extiw" title="commons:Category:Mimicry"><span style="">Mimicry</span></a></b></i>.</div></div> </div> <div class="mw-heading mw-heading2"><h2 id="Further_reading">Further reading</h2><span class="mw-editsection"><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">[</span><a href="/w/index.php?title=Mimicry&veaction=edit&section=17" title="Change section: Further reading" class="mw-editsection-visualeditor"><span>change</span></a><span class="mw-editsection-divider"> | </span><a href="/w/index.php?title=Mimicry&action=edit&section=17" title="Edit section's source code: Further reading"><span>change source</span></a><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">]</span></span></div> <ul><li>Forbes, Peter 2009. <i>Dazzled and deceived: mimicry and camouflage</i>. Yale, New Haven & London. <a href="/wiki/Special:BookSources/9780300125399" class="internal mw-magiclink-isbn">ISBN 978-0-300-12539-9</a>.</li></ul> <div class="mw-heading mw-heading2"><h2 id="Other_websites">Other websites</h2><span class="mw-editsection"><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">[</span><a href="/w/index.php?title=Mimicry&veaction=edit&section=18" title="Change section: Other websites" class="mw-editsection-visualeditor"><span>change</span></a><span class="mw-editsection-divider"> | </span><a href="/w/index.php?title=Mimicry&action=edit&section=18" title="Edit section's source code: Other websites"><span>change source</span></a><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">]</span></span></div> <ul><li><a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="http://www.ucl.ac.uk/~ucbhdjm/courses/b242/Mimic/Mimic.html">Warning colour [sic</a> and mimicry] Lecture outline from James Mallet, Professor of Biological Diversity at <a href="/wiki/University_College_London" title="University College London">University College London</a>.</li></ul> <p><br /> </p> <!-- NewPP limit report Parsed by mw‐web.codfw.main‐6b7f745dd4‐bx7vz Cached time: 20241125100157 Cache expiry: 2592000 Reduced expiry: false Complications: [vary‐revision‐sha1, show‐toc] CPU time usage: 0.326 seconds Real time usage: 1.181 seconds Preprocessor visited node count: 1026/1000000 Post‐expand include size: 9708/2097152 bytes Template argument size: 495/2097152 bytes Highest expansion depth: 13/100 Expensive parser function count: 4/500 Unstrip recursion depth: 1/20 Unstrip post‐expand size: 33991/5000000 bytes Lua time usage: 0.142/10.000 seconds Lua memory usage: 3565695/52428800 bytes Number of Wikibase entities loaded: 1/400 --> <!-- Transclusion expansion time report (%,ms,calls,template) 100.00% 968.144 1 -total 39.66% 383.969 1 Template:Listen 14.39% 139.279 1 Template:Reflist 10.12% 97.959 1 Template:Cite_web 5.86% 56.779 1 Template:Commonscat 5.56% 53.799 1 Template:Sister_project 5.37% 52.010 1 Template:Side_box 3.36% 32.578 1 Template:Main 3.32% 32.151 1 Template:Good 3.07% 29.674 1 Template:Top_icon --> <!-- Saved in parser cache with key simplewiki:pcache:156805:|#|:idhash:canonical and timestamp 20241125100157 and revision id 9154504. 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