Article
Ecology
Avery L. Russell, Stephanie R. Sanders, Liam A. Wilson, Daniel R. Papaj
Summary: In mutualisms involving plant-pollinator interactions, plants may cheat on pollen rewards to maximize their own benefit; however, a study showed that variation in flower size did not significantly affect bees' ability to learn to distinguish between models and mimics in intersexual floral mimicry systems.
FRONTIERS IN ECOLOGY AND EVOLUTION
(2021)
Article
Biology
Donald James McLean, Marie E. Herberstein
Summary: The study suggests that information limitation may be a general principle behind imperfect mimicry of complex traits, while interactions between components of mimicry are unlikely to provide a general explanation for imperfect mimicry.
PROCEEDINGS OF THE ROYAL SOCIETY B-BIOLOGICAL SCIENCES
(2021)
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
William Casey, Steven E. Massey, Bud Mishra
Summary: Mimicry is observed at various scales, with 'Batesian' and 'Mullerian' types representing different conflicts and common interests between sender and receiver. Studies suggest that invasion by Batesian mimics may destabilize Mullerian mimicry. Additionally, mimicry is not limited to the biological realm, but can also be found in human society.
JOURNAL OF THE ROYAL SOCIETY INTERFACE
(2021)
Article
Ecology
Stano Pekar
Summary: The study found that the accuracy of ant-mimicking spiders increases with body size and is influenced by different habitat types. Accuracy also varies in different geographical regions, with higher accuracy observed at lower latitudes due to stronger predation pressure from visually hunting predators.
JOURNAL OF BIOGEOGRAPHY
(2022)
Article
Behavioral Sciences
Stano Pekar, Martin J. Whiting, Marie E. Herberstein
Summary: Many prey species use multiple defense strategies during interactions with predators, which can provide advantages against different types of predators. This study examined the defensive traits of five mimics and one non-mimetic species in the myrmecomorphic golden mimicry complex. Predatory trials were conducted using two predators with different characteristics. The results showed that multiple defenses were used against each predator, with some defenses being more effective against specific predators.
BEHAVIORAL ECOLOGY
(2023)
Article
Behavioral Sciences
Thomas W. Pike, Oliver H. P. Burman
Summary: Batesian mimics are harmless species that imitate protected models to deceive predators. The conundrum of why some mimics only loosely resemble their models is addressed in a computer game experiment involving human predators. The findings suggest that even poorly matched mimics can gain protection if the models are aversive, indicating the importance of cost in the evolution of imperfect mimicry.
BEHAVIORAL ECOLOGY
(2023)
Article
Ecology
Julio M. G. Segovia, Stano Pekar
Summary: The relaxed selection hypothesis suggests that predators avoid mimics with lower resemblance to highly noxious models, due to the high cost of mistakenly attacking such models. Research on ant-mimicking spider species and their models supported this hypothesis by showing a negative correlation between model noxiousness and mimetic accuracy. However, factors other than model noxiousness also play a role in influencing the evolution of mimetic accuracy.
EVOLUTIONARY ECOLOGY
(2021)
Article
Zoology
Anders Pape Moller, Einar Flensted-Jensen, Wei Liang
Summary: Many animals mimic the behavior or appearance of venomous snakes as a defense mechanism. The hissing display in tits shows evidence of significant convergence towards snake models, with individual behavior being repeatable. The frequency of hissing displays, nest defense success, predation rates, and snake abundance are all correlated in a manner consistent with frequency-dependent selection acting on snake mimicry.
Article
Ecology
Oistein Haugsten Holen, Tom N. Sherratt
Summary: Signal detection theory has been used in evolutionary ecology for over four decades, with the article highlighting the differences in predictions and factors affecting different models. A new standard model is proposed, discussing the impact on acceptance rates in different scenarios, and challenging some long-held beliefs.
AMERICAN NATURALIST
(2021)
Article
Ecology
Oliver T. Heerwig, Sofia M. R. Jain-Schlaepfer, Thomas N. Sherratt, David W. Kikuchi
Summary: Undefended or weakly defended prey may evolve to mimic better-defended prey in a parasitic relationship called Batesian mimicry. Highly defended prey with lethal defenses may prevent predators from learning to avoid them, so they mimic the warning signals of less defended prey where avoidance learning is possible. The feasibility of this hypothesis was examined through modeling associative learning of predators foraging on weakly or highly defended prey.
EVOLUTIONARY ECOLOGY
(2023)
Article
Physics, Multidisciplinary
Koushik Garain
Summary: This paper presents a ratio-dependent community dynamics model on Batesian mimicry, focusing on the relationship between model-species and mimic-species. While both species can survive without environmental noise, external noises push the model-species to extinction, leaving only the mimic-species stable. The mechanism of noise-induced transition in the basin of attraction of a stable interior equilibrium point is discussed, along with the study of different noise intensities for the transition using stochastic sensitivity function technique.
EUROPEAN PHYSICAL JOURNAL-SPECIAL TOPICS
(2021)
Article
Ecology
Alberto Corral-Lopez, Javier Edo Varg, Yiselle P. Cano-Cobos, Rafael Losada, Emilio Realpe, David Outomuro
Summary: Through studying the natural environment, it was found that bird predators pay more attention to the wing coloration rather than morphology of glasswing butterflies, exerting stronger selection pressure on imperfect color mimics. Additionally, investigations revealed that a UV-reflective white coloration is being selected as the color aposematic signal in the mimicry ring. Observations of damselfly nanostructures suggest a convergent evolution of warning coloration through pre-adaptation.
JOURNAL OF ANIMAL ECOLOGY
(2021)
Article
Ecology
Hugh D. D. Loxdale
Summary: Some colourful European wild birds display contrasting bright colours, which may serve as aposematic warning colouration to predators. These birds may have chemical noxious substances in their flesh and/or feathers, enhancing their warning signals. This warning colouration could be Mullerian or Batesian in nature or a ruse to deter predators.
FRONTIERS IN ECOLOGY AND EVOLUTION
(2023)
Article
Biology
David W. Kikuchi, Marie E. Herberstein, Michael Barfield, Robert D. Holt, Johanna Mappes
Summary: Warning signals are a striking example of natural selection present in almost every ecological community, but they remain relatively scarce compared to the total prey available. They are thought to be governed by positive density-dependent selection, where they succeed better when more common. Factors influencing the prevalence of warning signals in prey assemblages include prey defenses, predator behavior, numerical responses of predators, diversity of alternative prey and mimics, and variability in ecological circumstances.
BIOLOGICAL REVIEWS
(2021)
Article
Biology
Dee M. Ruttenberg, Nicholas W. VanKuren, Sumitha Nallu, Shen-Horn Yen, Djunijanti Peggie, David J. Lohman, Marcus R. Kronforst
Summary: Sexual dimorphism is a major component of morphological variation, but the mechanisms underlying phenotypic differences between sexes of a single species are poorly understood. Our study on Elymnias hypermnestra revealed three genetically distinct populations, with two SNPs near the colour patterning gene WntA significantly associated with the female colour pattern polymorphism. This suggests the repeatability of the evolution of sexual dimorphism in Nymphalidae.
PROCEEDINGS OF THE ROYAL SOCIETY B-BIOLOGICAL SCIENCES
(2021)