The structure of mimicry

pp. 15-34

in: Timo Maran, Mimicry and meaning, Berlin, Springer, 2017

Abstract

A property that makes mimicry both fascinating and difficult to comprehend is its diversity. Mimetic resemblances can occur as colours and forms in the visual medium, as imitations of hissing, buzzing and other sounds, or as similarities of chemical components in pheromones. Mimicry can be based on different ecological relations (predation, parasitism, symbiosis, competition) and the number and composition of involved species can vary to a great extent. Mimicry can take place inside organisms at the cellular level, a phenomenon that is known as molecular mimicry. In some cases, mimicry requires the coordinated behaviour of several individuals to create or enhance the mimetic effect (e.g. myrmecomorph ic jumping spiders aggregating to emphasise their resemblance with ants, Nelson and Jackson 2009). Indeed, there seems to be little in common between the cases of fully behavioural mimicry, such as the mimic octopus Thaumoctopus mimicus , in which the cephalopod uses its tentacles to create sporadic imitations of flatfish, sea snakes , lionfish and other sea creatures, and the stillness of the perfect resemblance between the eggs of the common cuckoo Cuculus canorus and those of reed warblers, pipits, redstarts and other hosts species, whose nests the cuckoo uses to lay its eggs.