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
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
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
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