A Little Bit More
Scarlet Snake © Solon Morse
When we talk about an animal “mimicking” another, it makes it sound as though the mimic is making a conscious decision to do so. No animal is mimicking another by making any kind of “conscious decision”. A mimic has simply evolved along with the model because the advantage of looking alike works – any changes the model makes is reflected in the mimic over time. There are several “variations on a theme” with mimicry but we’ve focused on the most well-known example – the mimicking of a dangerous or unpalatable animal by an unrelated animal. Since insects are so abundant, and so diverse, it’s no surprise that these are the ones we’re most familiar with but other animals like snakes, spiders, frogs, and fish exhibit mimicry too.
Mimics use visual and/or behavioral cues to “fool” predators but there may be other clues, odor for example, that can be used too. As scientists look into the world of mimicry, they’re finding more and more examples of these fascinating copycat relationships.
Syrphid fly © Solon Morse
In our unit called “Hovercraft” June 25, ’07, we focused on syrphid or flower flies. Although we didn’t emphasize it in this unit, we did mention that these flies really do look like bees and wasps. Syrphid flys are especially common and probably are one of the mimics that you’ve seen.
Activities
Science & Art – Copycat Artist
Objectives: Focus on a specific mimic and its model
Materials: Print out of the snake illustration, coloring materials and reference books
Most of us have heard that Coral Snakes are poisonous and should be avoided. Coral snakes are not only colorful but have a striking color pattern that is helpful in “announcing” their danger to would-be predators. Several nonpoisonous snakes have evolved colors and patterns that are very similar to Coral Snakes and are provided protection with this copycat adaptation.
Here are two generic illustrations of snakes – one is to be colored as the model (choose either of two slightly different looking Coral Snakes) and the other illustration is to be colored in one of the eight mimics (choose one of the eight provided). Look up the correct colors and patterns in a field guide or online and be sure to label your snakes when you’re finished.
MODEL:
Eastern Coral Snake
Arizona Coral Snake
MIMIC:
Scarlet Snake
Red Milk Snake
Central Plains Milk Snake
New Mexico Milk Snake
Organ Pipe Shovel-nosed Snake
Ground Snake
California Mountain Kingsnake
Arizona Mountain Kingsnake
Most people who have worked with Coral Snakes or are familiar with this species and their mimics have learned a little diddy that helps to identify the poisonous Coral Snake from the nonpoisonous mimics and it goes like this:
Red touch yellow, will kill a fellow
Red touch black, you’re OK Jack
Key Concepts
Structures and Functions, Predator/Prey Relationships, Identification, Adaptations and Diversity
Questions
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