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Natural selection in mimicry.

Bruce Anderson1, Marinus L de Jager1

  • 1Botany and Zoology Department, Stellenbosch University, Matieland, 7602, South Africa.

Biological Reviews of the Cambridge Philosophical Society
|October 31, 2019
PubMed
Summary
This summary is machine-generated.

This study presents a new framework for understanding biological mimicry, revealing four evolutionary pathways shaped by natural selection. It clarifies how mimicry interactions evolve across diverse species.

Keywords:
Batesian mimicryMüllerian mimicryaggressive mimicryclassificationcoevolutiondeceptionfitnesspurifying selectionresemblanceselection

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Area of Science:

  • Evolutionary Biology
  • Ecology
  • Behavioral Ecology

Background:

  • Biological mimicry is a well-established example of natural selection across diverse taxa.
  • Existing models often categorize mimicry narrowly, overlooking broader evolutionary dynamics.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To develop a unified conceptual framework for biological mimicry.
  • To compare how natural selection affects models, mimics, and signal receivers.
  • To identify and characterize four distinct evolutionary pathways in mimetic interactions.

Main Methods:

  • Analysis of model-mimic resemblance across diverse examples (e.g., Batesian, Müllerian, aggressive mimicry, object mimicry).
  • Construction of a conceptual framework detailing selective forces and evolutionary pathways.
  • Examination of ecological constraints on mimicry evolution and coevolutionary potential.

Main Results:

  • Identified four potential evolutionary pathways for mimetic interactions based on model-mimic resemblance.
  • Two pathways align with Batesian and Müllerian mimicry; two novel pathways with unrecognized selective pressures.
  • Demonstrated how ecological factors can oppose or shape mimicry evolution and coevolution.

Conclusions:

  • The proposed framework clarifies the interplay of selective forces in shaping mimicry evolution.
  • Provides a visualization of selection pressures and evolutionary possibilities in mimicry.
  • Highlights the potential for novel coevolutionary relationships within mimetic systems.