Search research articles

ABOUT JoVE

Overview Leadership Blog JoVE Help Center

AUTHORS

Publishing Process Editorial Board Scope & Policies Peer Review FAQ Submit

LIBRARIANS

Testimonials Subscriptions Access Resources Library Advisory Board FAQ

RESEARCH

JoVE Journal Methods Collections JoVE Encyclopedia of Experiments Archive

EDUCATION

JoVE Core JoVE Business JoVE Science Education JoVE Lab Manual Faculty Resource Center Faculty Site

Terms & Conditions of Use

Related Concept Videos

Nonconscious Mimicry

Nonconscious Mimicry

Nonconscious mimicry occurs when individuals alter their mannerisms to match the behaviors and expressions of those nearby, without intention.

Facial Feedback Hypothesis

Facial Feedback Hypothesis

Charles Darwin proposed that facial expressions are an evolutionary adaptation for communication. He argued that these expressions are not influenced by culture but are universal across species. For example, a snarling expression with exposed teeth signals a threat in many animals, including humans. Darwin also suggested that displaying an emotion can intensify the feeling. Smiling, for example, could enhance one's sense of happiness. This idea laid the foundation for understanding the role of...

Evolutionary Psychology

Evolutionary Psychology

Evolutionary psychology explores the origins of human behavior and mental processes by framing them within the context of natural selection, a theory famously propounded by Charles Darwin. This field asserts that many behaviors common across human societies — ranging from instinctive fear reactions to complex social interactions — arose as evolutionary adaptations. These adaptations enhanced the survival and reproductive success of our ancestors, thereby becoming embedded in the human psyche...

Predator-Prey Interactions

Predator-Prey Interactions

Predators consume prey for energy. Predators that acquire prey and prey that avoid predation both increase their chances of survival and reproduction (i.e., fitness). Routine predator-prey interactions elicit mutual adaptations that improve predator offenses, such as claws, teeth, and speed, as well as prey defenses, including crypsis, aposematism, and mimicry. Thus, predator-prey interactions resemble an evolutionary arms race.Although predation is commonly associated with carnivory, for...

Criticisms of the Evolutionary Perspective

Criticisms of the Evolutionary Perspective

In a study where individuals posing as strangers offered compliments and proposed casual sex to students, the responses differed significantly based on gender. Not a single woman accepted the proposal, while 70% of the men agreed. This outcome provides a useful scenario to explore through the lens of evolutionary psychology and social learning theory, highlighting the diverse perspectives on human sexual behaviors.
Evolutionary psychology provides one explanation for these findings, suggesting...

Convergent Evolution

Convergent Evolution

Evolution shapes the features of organisms over time, ensuring that they are suited for the environments in which they live. Sometimes, selection pressure leads to the rise of similar but unrelated adaptations in organisms with no recent common ancestors, a process known as convergent evolution.The structures that arise from convergent evolution are called analogous structures. They are similar in function even if they are dissimilar in structure. Further, structures can be analogous while also...

You might also read

Related Articles

Articles linked to this work by shared authors, journal, and citation graph.

Sort by

Same author

Cardenolide fingerprint of monarch butterflies reared on common milkweed,Asclepias syriaca L.

Journal of chemical ecology·2013

Same author

Disruption of web structure and predatory behavior of a spider by plant-derived chemical defenses of an aposematic aphid.

Journal of chemical ecology·2013

Same author

Monarch butterfly migration in North America: Controversy and conservation.

Trends in ecology & evolution·2011

Same author

Endangered millions.

Science (New York, N.Y.)·1995

Same author

Viral gastroenteritis in children.

The New Zealand medical journal·1979

Same author

Coeliac dwarfism with good response to late treatment.

Proceedings of the Royal Society of Medicine·1969

Search research articles

Related Experiment Video

Updated: Jun 5, 2026

Examining Recall Memory in Infancy and Early Childhood Using the Elicited Imitation Paradigm

Examining Recall Memory in Infancy and Early Childhood Using the Elicited Imitation Paradigm

Published on: April 28, 2016

Mimicry: Status of a classical evolutionary paradigm.

¹Stephen Malcolmis at the Dept of Pure and Applied Biology, Imperial College at Silwood Park, Ascot, Berks SL5 7PY, UK.

Trends in Ecology & Evolution

|January 15, 2011

Summary

Mimicry research needs clearer categories to understand its diverse roles in nature. Experimental evidence is crucial to test the selective advantages of mimicry in predator-prey interactions.

Area of Science:

Evolutionary Biology
Ecology
Animal Behavior

Background:

Mimetic relationships, particularly protective adaptations, are traditionally well-documented.
Current understanding of mimicry is largely untested, encompassing diverse phenomena like defense, foraging, pollination, and mating.
Diverse selective pressures necessitate distinguishing between different mimicry categories.

Purpose of the Study:

To distinguish between categories of mimicry, specifically trophic, interspecific mimicry and sexually selected, nontrophic, intraspecific mimicry.
To clarify misunderstood concepts like the 'Batesian-Mallerian mimicry spectrum' by distinguishing diverse selection types.
To highlight the need for experimental evidence on the selective value of mimicry.

Main Methods:

More Related Videos

Reverse Dissection and DiceCT Reveal Otherwise Hidden Data in the Evolution of the Primate Face

Reverse Dissection and DiceCT Reveal Otherwise Hidden Data in the Evolution of the Primate Face

Published on: January 7, 2019

Probing the Limits of Egg Recognition Using Egg Rejection Experiments Along Phenotypic Gradients

Probing the Limits of Egg Recognition Using Egg Rejection Experiments Along Phenotypic Gradients

Published on: August 22, 2018

Related Experiment Videos

Last Updated: Jun 5, 2026

Examining Recall Memory in Infancy and Early Childhood Using the Elicited Imitation Paradigm

Examining Recall Memory in Infancy and Early Childhood Using the Elicited Imitation Paradigm

Published on: April 28, 2016

Reverse Dissection and DiceCT Reveal Otherwise Hidden Data in the Evolution of the Primate Face

Reverse Dissection and DiceCT Reveal Otherwise Hidden Data in the Evolution of the Primate Face

Published on: January 7, 2019

Probing the Limits of Egg Recognition Using Egg Rejection Experiments Along Phenotypic Gradients

Probing the Limits of Egg Recognition Using Egg Rejection Experiments Along Phenotypic Gradients

Published on: August 22, 2018

Review of existing literature on mimicry phenomena.

Conceptual analysis to categorize diverse mimetic relationships.

Identification of research gaps, particularly the need for experimental validation.

Main Results:

Mimicry encompasses a wide range of ecological interactions with distinct selective pressures.
Categorization of mimicry is essential for a clearer understanding of its evolutionary dynamics.
Lack of experimental data limits our understanding of the adaptive advantages of mimicry.

Conclusions:

Distinguishing mimicry categories (e.g., trophic vs. sexual selection) is vital for advancing the field.
Experimental studies are required to validate the selective value of mimicry against natural predator diversity.
Further research will clarify debates on the evolution of aposematism and mimicry.