The document discusses various forms of mimicry in nature, primarily focusing on Batesian and Müllerian mimicry. Batesian mimicry involves harmless species mimicking harmful ones to avoid predation, while Müllerian mimicry involves groups of harmful species mimicking each other for mutual protection. The text also explores related concepts such as camouflage, aposematism, and acoustic mimicry.

1. Mimicry: mullerian and
Batesian mimicry

2. Contents
• What is mimicry?
• Camouflage vs. mimicry
• Types of mimicry
• Batesian mimicry
• Aposmatism
• Adaptation of prey
• Acoustic mimicry
• Muellerian mimicry
• How does mimicry work so well?
• Relationship to muellerian with
batesian mimicry
• Non visual mimicry
• References
• Animation

3. What is
mimicry?
Similarities between species
Form of symbiosis where a specie may mimic the
color patterns or even the behavior of other species
for one or more reasons.
Either to be able to get closer to unsuspecting prey
In case of harmless species to gain protection by
limiting predators or poisonous species

4. Camouflage vs. mimicry
• Camouflage
• To change body color to shade into scenery
• Mimicry
• To make the form of other organism, such plant or insects.

5. Types of
mimicry
There are several types of mimicry utilized by
predator and prey
Batesian mimicry
Mullerian mimicry
Wasmannian mimicry
Peckhamian mimicry
Self mimicry

6. Batesian mimicry
• A type of mimicry where the mimic resembles a
model species that has spines, stingers, toxic
chemicals or another form of defense from
predators. The mimic has none of these.

7. Batesian
mimicry
It is named after the English naturalist Henry
Walter Bates, after his work on butterfliesin
the rainforests of Brazil.
His field research included collecting almost
a hundred species of butterflies from the
families Ithomiinae and Heliconiinae, as well
as thousands of other insects specimens.

8. Batesian mimicry
• Palatable animal mimics the
bad tasting or noxious prey
enough so that the predator
may not able to
distinguished them

9. • After several attempts of
distasteful encounters the
predator learn to avoid
such appearance.

10. Aposematism
• Most living things have predators and
therefore are in a constant evolutionary
arms race to develop antipredator
adaptations
• The yellow-banded poison dart frog
(Dendrobates leucomelas) has
conspicuous aposematic coloration

11. Adaptations of
prey
Nocturnality

12. Adaptations of prey
Camouflage

13. Chameleon changing colors

14. Adaptations of
prey

15. Adaptations of prey
Noxious scent of skunk

16. Skunk spray

17. Acoustic mimicry
• Predators may identify their prey by sound as well as sight;
mimics have accordingly evolved to deceive the hearing of
their predators
Tiger moths like this Cycnia
tenera are aposematic by sound,
emitting ultrasonic warning
signals. They are mimicked
by pyralid moths, which are not
foul-tasting but emit similar
sounds

19. Muellerian
mimicry
• A type of mimicry where an entire group of
organisms bear similar markings or colours
that distinguish them as inedible by
predators. This means that every species
with this appearance is unpalatable or toxic,
not just one model species

20. Muellerian mimicry
• Such protective mimicry in which two or
more distasteful or harmful species,
especially of insects, closely resemble
each other and therefore avoided equally
by all their natural predators
Unpalatable caterpillar
of Jacob butterfly
Stinging wasps

21. •
Müllerian mimicry was proposed by the German zoologist and naturalist Johann Friedrich
Theodor Müller (1821–1897), always known as Fritz.
• Explanation:
• One was sexual selection, namely that individuals would choose to mate with partners
with frequently-seen coloration, such as those resembling other species. However, if as is
usual, females are the choosers, then mimicry would be seen in males

22. How does mimicry
work so well?
• Many animals learn to avoid a certain plant or
animal from on experience
• Animals also won’t risk attacks against deadly /
more dangerous animals
• (hawk moth appears to be a snake when it’s a
caterpillar)

23. Aposmatism
• Müllerian mimicry relies on aposematism, or warning signals.
Squinting Bush-brown, Bicyclus anynana

24. • Many animals remain inconspicuous until
threatened, then suddenly employ warning
signals, such as startling eyespots, bright
colours on their undersides or loud
vocalizations.

25. Relationship to
muellerian with
batesian
mimicry
• The Müllerian strategy is
usually contrasted
with Batesian mimicry, in
which one harmless species
adopts the appearance of an
unprofitable species to gain
the advantage of predators'
avoidance;.

26. Non visual
mimicry
• Mullerian mimicry not
restricted to visual
signals only. It can be of
any sense.

27. References
Caro. T. (2014). "Antipredator deception in terrestrial
vertebrates". Current Zoology. 60: 16–25.
Brower, L. P. (2000) Plant poisons in a terrestrial food chain
and implications for mimicry theory. In K. L. Chambers
(ed) Biochemical Coevolution Corvallis, OR: Oregon State Univ.
pp. 69-82.
Müller, F. (2009). "Ituna and Thyridia; a remarkable case of
mimicry in butterflies. (R. Meldola
translation)". Proclamations of the Entomological Society of
London. 1879: 20–29.
Bates, Henry Walter (2003). The Naturalist on the River
Amazons. John Murray.

28. References
Müller, Fritz (2009). "Ituna and Thyridia; a
remarkable case of mimicry in butterflies. (R.
Meldola translation)". Proclamations of the
Entomological Society of London. 109: 20–29.
Ritland, D.; L. P. Brower (2001). "The viceroy
butterfly is not a Batesian
mimic". Nature. 350(6318): 497–498.
Smith, S. M. (2005). "Innate Recognition of
Coral Snake Pattern by a Possible Avian
Predator". Science. 187 (4178): 759–760.