Incorporating Motion into Investigations of mimicry |
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Authors: | Robert B Srygley |
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Institution: | (1) Department of Zoology, University of Oxford, Oxford, OX1 3PS, UK (tel. |
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Abstract: | During the past thirty years, natural selection due to predation has been investigated with regard to prey motion in three
areas that are relevant to the evolution of mimicry: (1) anti-apostatic selection, (2) locomotor mimicry, and (3) escape mimicry.
Anti-apostatic selection, or selection against the odd individuals, arises when prey are at very high densities or when prey
are Müllerian mimics. When prey are at high densities, motion of the prey increases selection against odd individuals. When
the prey are Müllerian mimics, motion may also play an important role in strengthening selection against odd individuals.
This may explain locomotor mimicry between Müllerian mimics. Locomotor mimicry arises when two distantly-related prey species
appear alike in behaviour, and there is a corresponding suite of morphological, physiological, and biomechanical traits that
the prey have in common. Locomotor mimicry has been demonstrated in Müllerian mimics. It is also predicted to occur in Batesian
mimics but with important limitations due to selection by the predator for the prey to maintain the ability to escape if detected.
Locomotor mimicry may also occur between palatable species that are alike as a result of unprofitable prey (or escape) mimicry.
Escape mimicry arises when prey are difficult to capture. By frustration learning, the predator associates the colour of the
prey with unprofitability. In all three instances, dis-similarity in colour or motion probably increases selection against
the odd individual. In addition, the interaction of colour and motion gives rise to greater reliability of the signals to
a specialist predator. However for a generalist predator, multiple component signals of the prey lead to errors in signal
perception and greater risk of cheating.
This revised version was published online in July 2006 with corrections to the Cover Date. |
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Keywords: | anti-apostatic selection escape mimicry locomotor mimicry perception predator– prey selection |
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