Mimicry in vertebrates
Use of mimicry as an anti-predator adaptation in animals with backbones / From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
In evolutionary biology, mimicry in vertebrates is mimicry by a vertebrate of some model (an animal, not necessarily a vertebrate), deceiving some other animal, the dupe.[1] Mimicry differs from camouflage as it is meant to be seen, while animals use camouflage to remain hidden. Visual, olfactory, auditory, biochemical, and behavioral modalities of mimicry have been documented in vertebrates.[1][2]
There are few well-studied examples of mimicry in vertebrates.[1] Still, many of the basic types of mimicry apply to vertebrates, especially among snakes. Batesian mimicry is rare among vertebrates but found in some reptiles (particularly snakes) and amphibians.[2][3] Müllerian mimicry is found in some snakes, birds, amphibians, and fish.[2][4][5][6] Aggressive mimicry is known in some vertebrate predators and parasites, while certain forms of sexual mimicry are distinctly more complex than in invertebrates.[7][8][9]