Mimicry in nature is common, with at least six categories. Batesian mimicry is the most common, where a harmless species copies a harmful one to scare off predators. Mullerian mimicry is when two species with genuine defense mechanisms resemble each other. Emsleyan mimicry is rare, where deadly animals mimic prey to attract predators and kill them.
Mimicry in the wild is common, where one species uses a model of another to exploit desired characteristics and increase its inclusive fitness. There are many examples, such as the cuckoo-hawk, a cuckoo that has feather and wing patterns like a hawk; the False Cobra, which has the same distinctive hood as the Indian Cobra; the African monarch butterfly, the subject of many copies for its unpleasantness; and most impressively, octopuses of the genus Thaumoctopus (such as the Mimic Octopus), which can change color and shape to resemble venomous lionfish or sea snakes.
There are at least half a dozen categories of mimicry in nature, some of which are much more common than others. There is Batesian mimicry, by far the most common, in which a harmless species (the mimic) copies a harmful species (the model) to scare off competitors or predators. All of the examples listed in the previous paragraph are Batesian impersonations. Batesian mimicry works best when the mimics are in a relatively low proportion to the model, otherwise display targets will eventually approach the imposter and treat it like the animal it really is.
Other forms of mimicry in nature include Müllerian mimicry, Emsleyan mimicry, Wasmannian mimicry, Vavilovian mimicry (grass mimicry), Gilbertian mimicry (protective egg baits), Browerian mimicry (an individual mimics another of the same species), aggressive mimicry, reproductive mimicry, Pouyannian mimicry, automimicry (where one part of an organism looks like another part), and some weird cases that don’t fit into any of the above.
Mullerian mimicry is when two species, both with genuine defense mechanisms and associated aposematic marks (warning signals) come to resemble each other. This is common in butterflies and wasps. Resembling each other, they amplify the warning effect. If a predator or competitor has a bad experience with one, they will avoid all others that look similar.
Emsleyan mimicry is a rare type of mimicry in which deadly animals mimic prey to attract potential predators, then kill them, turning the tables. This is believed to be the source of the coral snake mimicking the fake coral snake and milk snake – although called a “fake,” the fake coral snake is actually the model and the coral snake is the imitation. Looking like a false coral snake, coral snakes can attract hungry birds and dispatch them with their venom. This is one of the most original examples of mimicry in nature.
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