A mimic is any species that has evolved to appear similar to another successful species in order to dupe predators into avoiding the mimic, or dupe prey into approaching the mimic. A mimic generally resembles its target in one or more of the following: appearance, behavior, and habitat. The capacity to mimic is sometimes called "mimetism." Mimetism differs from camouflage in that the mimic does not try to blend with the surroundings, but to appear as some other creature. In 1832, while traveling on the Beagle, naturalist Charles Darwin collected giant fossils in South America. ... This snapping turtle is trying to make a meal of a Canada goose, but the goose is too wary. ... Prey can refer to: Look up Prey in Wiktionary, the free dictionary A prey animal eaten by a predator in an act called predation. ... Anolis caroliensis showing blending camouflage and counter-shading. ...

A dronefly uses Batesian mimicry to resemble the honeybee.

A Spider Spider mimicry to flower.

There are many types of mimics: Dronefly, a bee mimic, on Dandelion flower - note that the shape of the eyes, the number of wings (2 as opposed to 4) and a wide waist distinguishes it from the honeybee; but from a distance one is easily fooled. ... Dronefly, a bee mimic, on Dandelion flower - note that the shape of the eyes, the number of wings (2 as opposed to 4) and a wide waist distinguishes it from the honeybee; but from a distance one is easily fooled. ... Image File history File links Spider_mimicry. ... Image File history File links Spider_mimicry. ... Diversity 111 families, 40,000 species Suborders Mesothelae Mygalomorphae Araneomorphae  See Table of Families Wikispecies has information related to: Spiders A South American Argiope Spiders are predatory invertebrate animals with two body segments, eight legs, no chewing mouth parts and no wings. ...

1. Batesiian mimics (named after Henry Walter Bates), where the mimic resembles the successful species but does not share the attribute that discourages predation.
2. Müllerian mimics (named after Fritz Müller), where the mimic resembles the successful species and shares the anti-predation attribute (dangerous or unpalatable.)
3. Mertensian mimics (named after Robert Mertens), often considered a subtype of Müllerian mimicry, where harmless and deadly mimics resemble a dangerous but not usually deadly species (if the predator dies, it cannot learn to recognize e.g. a warning coloration anymore, of course). This is rare, with the most celebrated example being the harmless Milk Snake, the moderately toxic False Coral Snakes and the deadly Coral Snakes.
4. Aggressive mimics (also called Peckhamian mimicry after E. G. Peckham), where the mimic resembles a harmless species in order to lure prey.
5. Bakerian mimics (named after Herbert G. Baker), where the mimic resembles members of its own species in order to lure pollinators or reap other benefits, although the mimicry may not be readily apparent due to the fact that the members of the same species may still exhibit sexual dimorphism.
6. Vavilovian mimics (named after Nikolai Ivanovich Vavilov), where the mimic resembles a domesticated plant, but through generations of artificial selection becomes domesticated. This type of mimicry does not occur in natural ecosystems.
7. Automimicry where the mimic has some part of its body resembling some other part. Examples include snakes in which the tail resembles the head and show behavior such as moving backwards to confuse predators and insects and fishes with eyespots on their hind ends to resemble the head. The term is also used when the mimic imitates other morphs within the same species such as the male looking like the female or vice versa.

For example, the Ash Borer Podosesia syringae, a moth of Family Sesiidae (Clearwing Moths), is a Batesian mimic of the Common Wasp because it resembles the wasp, but is not capable of stinging. A predator who would thus avoid the wasp would similarly avoid the Ash Borer. Henry Walter Bates (February 8, 1825 - February 16, 1892) was an English naturalist and explorer. ... Fritz Müller Johann Friedrich Theodor Müller (March 31, 1821–May 21, 1897) was a German biologist who emigrated to Brazil, where he studied the natural history of the Amazon Rainforest and was an early advocate of evolutionary theory. ... Robert Mertens (December 1, 1894 - August 23, 1975) was a German herpetologist. ... Binomial name Lampropeltis triangulum Lacépède, 1789 The Milk Snake (Lampropeltis triangulum) is a species of king snake. ... The coral snakes (Micrurus) are a genus of about 65 snake species, found in tropical South America and southern USA. They are venomous and related to Old World cobras. ... Female (left) and male Common Pheasant, illustrating the dramatic difference in both color and size between the sexes Sexual dimorphism is the systematic difference in form between individuals of different sex in the same species. ... Николай Иванович Вавилов Major: scientist-genetist, hybridist Birth: November 25, 1887, Moscow Death: January 26, 1943, Saratov Sex: male Nationality: Russian Achievements: 60 expeditions. ... This Chihuahua mix and Great Dane show the wide range of dog breed sizes created using artificial selection. ... Eyespot can refer to: Eyespot (insect photoreceptor): The area of an arthropod body (especially an insect) where the ocelli (photoreceptors) are located; Eyespot (mimicry): A form of automimicry in which a spot on the body of an animal resembles an eye of a different animal to deceive potential predator or... Binomial name Podosesia syringae Harris, 1839 The Ash Borer (Podosesia syringae), aka Lilac Borer, is a clearwing moth in the family Sesiidae. ... Binomial name Vespula vulgaris (Linnaeus, 1758) The common wasp, Vespula vulgaris is a wasp found in much of the Northern Hemisphere, and introduced to Australia and New Zealand. ...

On the other hand, a honeybee is a Müllerian mimic of the wasp (and vice-versa), since both share similar appearance and colouring, and both are capable of stinging. A predator, therefore, would need only a bad experience with either to recognize both as dangerous. Species Apis andreniformis Apis cerana, or eastern honey bee Apis dorsata, or giant honey bee Apis florea Apis koschevnikovi Apis laboriosa Apis mellifera, or western honey bee Apis nigrocincta Apis nuluensis Honey bees are a subset of bees which represent a far smaller fraction of bee diversity than most people...

Female fireflies of the genus Photus are an example of aggressive mimics. By copying the light signals of fireflies of other species, they lure male fireflies which are then captured and eaten. Genera Curtos Cyphonocerus Drilaster Ellychnia Hotaria Lampyris Lucidina Lucidota Luciola - Japanese fireflies Phausis Photinus - common eastern firefly Photuris Pristolycus Pyractomena Pyrocoelia Stenocladius many others Wikispecies has information related to: Lampyridae Fireflies (family Lampyridae), also called lightning bugs, are luminous beetles. ...

Echinochloa oryzoides is a species of grass which is found as a weed in Rice (Oryza sativa) fields. The plant looks similar to Rice and its seeds are often mixed in rice and difficult to separate. This is a good example of Vavilovian mimicry and this close appearance is enhanced by the weeding process which is a selective force that increases the similarity of the weed in each subsequent generations.

Mimicry in butterflies and moths

Butterflies and moths exhibit Batesian and Müllerian mimicry. The mimicry of the Ash Borer moth has already been described above. The following butterfly species are mimicked by other butterfly species which are palatable.Some butterflys may also mimic by sound. Binomial name Podosesia syringae Harris, 1839 The Ash Borer (Podosesia syringae), aka Lilac Borer, is a clearwing moth in the family Sesiidae. ...

• Plain Tiger Danaus chrysippus.
• Common Indian Crow Euploea core.

Binomial name Danaus chrysippus (Linnaeus, 1758) The Plain Tiger is a common butterfly which is widespread in Asia. ... This article needs to be wikified. ...

Examples of Müllerian mimicry

The following examples are of species that meet the Müllerian mimicry criteria.

• Honey Bees and Wasps: These animals are a perfect example of Müllerian mimics because they both have the yellow and black stripes. Both creatures are harmful, fulfilling the second requirement of Müllerian mimicry.
• Butterflies: Limenitis archippus (the Viceroy butterfly) mimics Danaus plexippus (the Monarch) in coloration patterns and display behavior. Both Butterflies are poisonous and communicate this to potential predators by means of very similar color patterns and display behaviors.
• The Bush Viper (young) and the Copperhead Snake: The Copperhead snake is extremely poisonous. The Bush Viper is also extremely dangerous when older, but only has a very similar coloring when young. Hence, the viper is still dangerous when young, just not to the same extent as when it is older and changes colors.

The Viceroy is a butterfly that looks somewhat like a Monarch butterfly. ... Binomial name Danaus plexippus (Linnaeus, 1758) The Monarch butterfly (Danaus plexippus) is a well-known North American butterfly. ...

Mimicry and convergent evolution

It is commonly assumed that mimicry evolves as a positive adaptation; that is, the mimic gains fitness via convergent evolution which results in resemblance to another species. However, there is some debate over whether such evolution is adaptive or merely a result of structural similarities. E.g., the lepidopterist (and sometime author) Vladimir Nobokov argued that much of insect mimicry, including the Viceroy/Monarch mimicry, resulted from the fact that coloration patterns in both species simply had a common structural basis, and thus the tendency to convergence by chance was very high.[1] In 1832, while traveling on the Beagle, naturalist Charles Darwin collected giant fossils in South America. ... It has been suggested that Morphological convergence be merged into this article or section. ... Vladimir Nabokov Vladimir Vladimirovich Nabokov (Russian: Владимир Владимирович Набоков; pronounced: vlah-DEE-meer nah-BAWK-awf) (April 10 O.S. [April 22/23 N.S.], 1899...

See also

• Aposematism
• Camouflage
• Crypsis
• Predator

The bright colours of this Yellow-winged Darter dragonfly serve as a warning to predators of its noxious taste. ... Anolis caroliensis showing blending camouflage and counter-shading. ... Crypsis is a phenomena where an organisms appearance allows it to blend well into its environment. ... This snapping turtle is trying to make a meal of a Canada goose, but the goose is too wary. ...