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Mimicry

The document discusses various types of mimicry in organisms, including Batesian mimicry, Mullerian mimicry, self mimicry, aggressive mimicry, and reproductive mimicry. It provides examples and experiments illustrating how these mimicry strategies help organisms avoid predation or enhance reproduction. Additionally, it poses questions about the mechanisms behind these adaptations, including natural selection.

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102 views2 pages

Mimicry

The document discusses various types of mimicry in organisms, including Batesian mimicry, Mullerian mimicry, self mimicry, aggressive mimicry, and reproductive mimicry. It provides examples and experiments illustrating how these mimicry strategies help organisms avoid predation or enhance reproduction. Additionally, it poses questions about the mechanisms behind these adaptations, including natural selection.

Uploaded by

ashsun4212
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
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Download as DOCX, PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd

MIMICRY

Both are Batesian mimicry:


A harmless organism mimics a
yellow
harmful organism in order to fool
predators

Harmless hoverfly Venomous Wasp


Case 1: An experiment was done. Worms (very tasty to birds) were dipped into
bright green food colouring. Birds soon began to eat the bright green worms as well
as their regular diet of uncoloured worms. Then, 20% of the bright green worms
were dipped into quinine to make them taste very bitter. After a short time the birds
stopped eating the bright green worms altogether and went back to a diet of strictly
uncoloured worms. 80% of the bright green worms still tasted fine (as they had not
been dipped in quinine). What trait did these worms have that prevented the birds
from eating them? Explain.

Mullerian mimicry:
Both are orange
Two harmful organisms mimics each
other in order to fool predators

Bad tasting Monarch Bad tasting


Viceroy
Case 2: Some organisms are poisonous and eating them is fatal. How would this
help predators to learn to avoid these species?
The learning process of predators is quicker if the poisonous species are brightly
coloured such as this bright yellow poison tree frog. Why?

Self mimicry:
One body part resembles another in
order to fool predators

Lantern-fly (head is on the left)


Case 3: Why would predators want to attack the head as opposed to the tail of the
prey?
So that the prey becomes weaker

Aggressive mimicry:
A predator mimics bait in order to
attract prey

Humpback anglerfish uses glowing


modified spine to catch prey
Case 4: Ant lions eat ants. Ants are afraid of ant lions but not wax covered aphids
which live among them. How do you think ant lions could get in among the ants?

Reproductive mimicry:
An organism mimics others in order
to aid reproduction

Orchid which resembles an insect


Case 5: Explain how plants benefit from reproductive mimicry.

Additional Question: Briefly describe how a tasty grey caterpillar could have
acquired yellow and black stripes to mimic a bad tasting yellow and black
caterpillar. Use natural selection as your mechanism.

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