Female mimicry occurs in bluegill sunfish, where some males evolve to resemble females in order to sneakily fertilize eggs during mating. These smaller "satellite males" swim alongside territorial larger males and females during mating. While the larger male protects the eggs thinking they are his own, the sneaky satellite males fertilize some of the eggs without providing any parental care afterwards, hoping to pass on their genes secretly. This alternative reproductive strategy of female mimicry allows these smaller males to reproduce despite not being able to compete with larger aggressive males.

1. FEMALE MIMICRY
IN BLUEGILL SUNFISH

2. What is Mimicry?
 Mimicry: The art, practice or art of
mimicking
 The close external resemblance of an
organism, the mimic, to some different
organism, the model, such that the mimic
benefits from the mistaken identity, as
seeming to be unpalatable or harmful
 Mimic Octopus

3. Batesian Mimicry
 Batesian Mimicry: the defensive or
protective form of mimicry in which
organisms adapt to resemble potentially
harmful organisms but do not possess any
true anti-predation attributes

4. Batesian Mimicry
 example: bugs that look like bees or
wasps
 named after English naturalist Henry
Walter Bates
 mimic benefits, model receives nothing

5. Batesian Mimicry

6. Batesian Mimicry

7. Mullerian Mimicry
 Mullerian Mimicry: the defensive or
protective form of mimicry in which two or
more species possess similar warning
signals and share genuine anti-predation
attributes

8. Mullerian Mimicry
 example: two species of butterflies
 both species (mimic and model) benefit,
both increase chances of survival

9. Female Mimicry
 Female Mimicry: Alternative male
reproductive pattern in which males
assume a female-like morphology or
mimic female behavior patterns

10. Female Mimicry
 example: garter snakes
 release female pheromone that attracts other
males
 increased mating success
 ‘she-males’

11. Cuttlefish
 marine animals of the order Sepiida
belonging to the class Cephalopoda
 Same class as squid, octopod, and nautili
 Actually not fish, but rather molluscs.
 Have an internal shell called a cuttlebone
 Large W-shaped pupils, 8 arms, 2 tentacles
 Live 1-2 years
 Eats small molluscs, crabs, shrimp, fish and
other cuttlefish
 Predators include dolphins, sharks, fish, seals
and other cuttlefish

12. Cuttlefish
Cuttlefish

13. BLUEGILL SUNFISH (Lepomis
macrochirus)
Male reproductive success
depends on male
competition and
aggression
 Female mimicry is an
alternative reproduction
strategy

14. Fish #1 – The Large Male
 Fish #1 - Male
 Larger, aggressive, territorial
 6-7 years to reach this size
 Protects his nesting area

15. Fish #2 – The Female
 Fish #2 - Female
 Smaller
 Lays eggs in a larger male’s nesting area

16. Fish #3 – The Satellite Male
 Fish #3 - Sneaker/Satellite Male
(Cuckolder)
 Smaller male
 Resembles female
 Swims along side of larger male and
female during mating
 “sneaks” in and squirts semen on the
eggs laid by the female

17. Female Mimicry – Bluegill Sunfish
 Larger male remains to protect the
eggs/fry
 Larger male assumes that all eggs/fry are
his to protect
 Sneaker male hopes some of his genes
are passed on
◦ has no parental care role

18. Female Mimicry – Bluegill Sunfish
LARGE MALE
SATELLITE MALE
FEMALE
Bluegill Sunfish Reproduction