Mimicry Animal coloration

hawk-cuckoo resembles predatory shikra, giving cuckoo time lay egg in songbird s nest unnoticed

mimicry means 1 species of animal resembles species closely enough deceive predators. evolve, mimicked species must have warning coloration, because appearing bitter-tasting or dangerous gives natural selection work on. once species has slight, chance, resemblance warning coloured species, natural selection can drive colours , patterns towards more perfect mimicry. there numerous possible mechanisms, of far best known are:

batesian mimicry, edible species resembles distasteful or dangerous species. common in insects such butterflies. familiar example resemblance of harmless hoverflies (which have no sting) bees.
müllerian mimicry, 2 or more distasteful or dangerous animal species resemble each other. common among insects such wasps , bees (hymenoptera).

batesian mimicry first described pioneering naturalist henry w. bates. when edible prey animal comes resemble, slightly, distasteful animal, natural selection favours individuals better resemble distasteful species. because small degree of protection reduces predation , increases chance individual mimic survive , reproduce. example, many species of hoverfly coloured black , yellow bees, , in consequence avoided birds (and people).

müllerian mimicry first described pioneering naturalist fritz müller. when distasteful animal comes resemble more common distasteful animal, natural selection favours individuals better resemble target. example, many species of stinging wasp , bee coloured black , yellow. müller s explanation of mechanism 1 of first uses of mathematics in biology. argued predator, such young bird, must attack @ least 1 insect, wasp, learn black , yellow colours mean stinging insect. if bees differently coloured, young bird have attack 1 of them also. when bees , wasps resemble each other, young bird need attack 1 whole group learn avoid of them. so, fewer bees attacked if mimic wasps; same applies wasps mimic bees. result mutual resemblance mutual protection.