What is a Mimic?

Mimics are an incredibly diverse and fascinating species of animals, spanning a wide range of organisms from plants to animals. For example, humans are capable of mimicking other humans or animals in a variety of contexts and interactions. Although they may not strictly considered true mimics, they are often referred to as such.

At its core, a mimic is an organism that has adopted a behaviour or appearance of another organism. Often, this behaviour or appearance is in the hopes of either avoiding or repelling predators or attracting prey.

The Three Types of Mimicry

Mimicry can be divided into three distinct categories: Batesian mimicry, Mullerian mimicry and aggressive mimicry. Batesian mimicry is named after British naturalist Henry Walter Bates, and describes when one species mimics another in order to avoid being preyed upon by a predator. This form of mimicry is usually used by a palatable species that is not toxic to a predator. An example of Batesian mimicry is the harmless King Snake impersonating the venomous Coral Snake. Since the King Snake is usually mistaken for the Coral Snake, predators leave them alone which increases their chances of survival.

The second type of mimicry, Mullerian mimicry, is named after German scientist and reverend Fritz Muller; it is when two species of prey share the same warning signals so that predators associate the warning signal with being toxic or dangerous. This can be beneficial for both the species as the predator learns to associate the warning signal with toxic prey. Examples of Mullerian mimicry are the wasp and honeybee which both have black and yellow stripes that signal to predators to stay away.

The last category of mimicry is aggressive mimicry. This type of mimicry occurs when a predator mimics something in order to lure unsuspecting victims. For example, a species of angler fish known as Centrophryne angulifer uses a glowing lure to attract prey and is considered to be an example of aggressive mimicry.

The Effects of Mimicry

Mimicry, although initially slightly confusing for the observer, is an incredibly effective way for organisms to stay safe, lure prey and gain an advantage in the wild. Mimicry has been studied for many centuries and is still actively being researched in the realm of biological science. Despite, its effectiveness, the process can be dangerous as what begins as an ineffective pose or behaviour can become permanent if the creature is unable to recognize past a certain point.

Mimicry serves as a reminder of the fragility yet adaption of nature, and is one of the many ways animals have evolved to survive in a wide range of environments. It truly stands as a marvel of nature and without it, the world would be a much different place.