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Uroplatus fimbriatus gecko in Madagascar. (Photo by R. Butler)

THE ARTS OF DECEPTION: MIMICRY AND CAMOUFLAGE

MIMICRY

There are three forms of mimicry utilized by both predator and prey: Batesian mimicry, Muellerian mimicry, and self-mimicry. Mimicry refers to the similarities between animal species; camouflage refers to an animal species resembling an inanimate object.

Batesian Mimicry
Batesian mimicry is named for Henry Walter Bates, a British scientist who studied mimicry in Amazonian butterflies during the mid- and late nineteenth century. Batesian mimicry refers to two or more species that are similar in appearance, but only one of which is armed with spines, stingers, or toxic chemistry, while its apparent double lacks these traits. The second species has no defense other than resembling the unpalatable species and is afforded protection from certain predators by its resemblance to the unpalatable species, which the predator associates with a certain appearance and a bad experience. Examples of Batesian mimicry are the several species of butterflies that mimic the toxic Heliconid butterflies. Another fascinating butterfly mimic is the non-toxic Papilio memmon of Indonesia. Each female butterfly (regardless of her coloration) can produce one or more different female forms which mimic any of five other species of foul-tasting butterflies. Batesian mimicry is also found in venomous coral snakes and the harmless milk and king snakes of the New World. Both snakes are marked with alternating yellow, red, and black bands causing possible predators to avoid both. The snakes can often be distinguished by using an old scout saying: "Red against yellow: kill a fellow. Red against black: friend to Jack." The deadly coral snake has bands in the order of red, yellow, black, while the innocuous species have the pattern of red, black, yellow (although the rule is not foolproof and there are exceptions).

Muellerian Mimicry



Monarch butterfly on the left, viceroy butterfly on the right. Both taste bad to predators. (Photo by R. Butler)



Muellerian mimicry is named for Fritz Mueller, a German zoologist who worked in the Amazon three decades after Bates. This form of mimicry refers to two unpalatable species that are mimics of each other with conspicuous warning coloration (also known as aposematic coloration). Thus all mimics share the benefits of the coloration since the predator will recognize the coloration of an unpalatable group after a few bad experiences. Since several species have the same appearance to the predator, the loss of life will be spread out over several species, reducing the impact on each individual species. Poison arrow frogs of South America and Mantella frogs of Madagascar are examples with their conspicuous coloration of bright colors against black markings and toxic composition.

Picture examples of poison dart frogs and Mantella frogs


Green and black poison dart frog (Dendrobates auratus)



Blue poison dart frog (Dendrobates azureus)



Yellow-Banded Poison Frog (Dendrobates leucomelas)


Three-striped Poison dart frog (Epipedobates trivittatus)
Three-striped Poison dart frog (Epipedobates trivittatus)



Strawberry poison-dart frog in epiphyte



Mantella laevigata



Mantella aurantiaca frog



Mantella madagascariensis (Painted Mantella)




More pictures of poison frogs

Self Mimicry

Owl butterfly (Caligo idomeneus). Note the conspicuous eyespot. (Photo by R. Butler)

Self-mimicry is a misleading term for animals that have one body part that mimics another to increase survival during an attack or helps predators appear innocuous. For example, countless moth, butterfly, and freshwater fish species have "eye-spots"?large dark markings that when flashed may momentarily startle a predator and allow the prey extra seconds to escape.
"Eye-spots" also help prey escape predators by giving predators a false target. A butterfly has a better chance of surviving an attack to the outer part of its wing than an attack to the head.

Less often predators utilize self-mimicry to aid in catching prey by appearing less threatening or fooling the prey as to the origin of the attack. For example, several turtle species and the Frogmouth Catfish (Chaca sp.) of Southeast Asia have tongue extensions that are used as a sort of lure to attract prey to a position where they become an easy catch. One of the most interesting examples of self-mimicry is the so-called "two-headed" snake of Central Africa which has a tail that resembles a head and a head that resembles a tail. The snake even moves its tail in the way most snakes move their heads. This adaptation functions to trick prey into believing the attack is originating from where it is not.

CAMOUFLAGE

A completely different approach for deception is camouflage, whereby animals seek to look inanimate or inedible to avoid detection by predators and prey. There are many examples of rainforest species which are cryptically colored to match their surroundings. For example, the Uroplatus geckos of Madagascar are incredible masters of disguise and are practically unnoticeable to the passer-by. An even more amazing group is the katydids, a group of grasshopper-like insects found worldwide. Katydids are nocturnal insects which use their cryptic coloration to remain unnoticed during the day when they are inactive. They remain perfectly still, often in a position that makes them blend in even better. Katydids have evolved to the point where their body coloring and shape matches leaves?including half-eaten leaves, dying leaves, and leaves with bird droppings?sticks, twigs, and tree bark. Other well-known camouflage artists include beetles, mantids, caterpillars, moths, snakes, lizards, and frogs.

Some species appear to have conspicuous coloration when they are not in the proper surroundings. For example, among the brilliant butterflies of the forest, the magnificent electric blue Morpho, has iridescent blue upper wings and a seven-inch wingspan. However, because the underwings are dark, when the Morpho flies through the flickering light of the forest or even out in broad daylight, it seems to disappear. Other forest species, especially mammals, have spots or stripes to help break up the animal's outline. In the shade created by the canopy, large mammals like leopards, jaguars, ocelots, and okapi are surprisingly difficult to see with their disruptive coloration.

Photo examples of camouflaged rainforest animals


Brookesia superciliaris playing dead



Brookesia superciliaris chameleon in leaf litter



Brookesia superciliaris chameleon, Masoala NP



Uroplatus phantasticus



Uroplatus fimbriatus on trunk



Uroplatus fimbriatus - head shot tree trunk


Mantidactylus lugubris frog (Ranomafana N.P.)
Mantidactylus lugubris frog


Mantidactylus lugubris frog (Ranomafana N.P.)
Mantidactylus lugubris frog


Mantidactylus lugubris frog (Ranomafana N.P.)
Mantidactylus lugubris frog


Walking stick in the Peruvian rainforest
Walking stick in the Peruvian rainforest


Giant stick insect
Giant stick insect



Uroplatus fimbriatus gecko on Nosy Mangabe



Uroplatus fimbriatus gecko on Nosy Mangabe



Uroplatus fimbriatus gecko on Nosy Mangabe



Uroplatus fimbriatus - full body



Uroplatus fimbriatus gecko on Nosy Mangabe



Uroplatus fimbriatus gecko



Flying Dragon, Southern Thailand


Camouflaged spider on tree trunk
Camouflaged spider on tree trunk


Walking stick insect under a leaf
Walking stick insect under a leaf


uroplatus1 (Nosy Mangabe)
Uroplatus fimbriatus gecko



Lutinus Beetle



Leaf mimic insect



Walking stick insect



Green walking stick insect



Leaf insect


Mantidactylus asper frog (Nosy Mangabe)
Mantidactylus asper frog


Camouflaged praying mantis on tree trunk
Camouflaged praying mantis on tree trunk


Praying mantis standing guard of its tree
Praying mantis standing guard of its tree


Walking stick insects mating
Walking stick insects mating


Reddish-brown stick insect
Reddish-brown stick insect


uroplatus (Nosy Mangabe)
Uroplatus fimbriatus gecko



Uroplatus fimbriatus - tree trunk, full body



Uroplatus fimbriatus gecko on Nosy Mangabe



Leaf-tailed gecko on Nosy Mangabe



Leaf-tailed gecko



Uroplatus fimbriatus on Nosy Mangabe



Leaf Katydid



Leaf Moth



Praying Mantis



Ruins Moth


Giant walking stick insect with a person's hand for scale
Giant walking stick insect with a person's hand for scale




Review questions:
  • What are three types of mimicry?
  • Why is camouflage important?

[print version | spanish | french | chinese | japanese]


Continued: Rainforest canopy





Unless otherwise specified, this article was written by Rhett A. Butler [Bibliographic citation for this page]


Other pages in this section:
Rainforest Diversity
Canopy, Structure, & Area
Diversity of Image
- - - - -
References
Climate and Stability
Short Term Variation & Ice Ages
Mimicry & Camouflage
- - - - -
Kids version of this section
Why do rainforests have so
many plants and animals?





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Copyright Rhett Butler 1994-2007

"Rainforest" is used interchangeably with "rain forest" on this site.
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