Mimic

A mimic is any species that has evolved to appear similar to another successful species in order to dupe predators into avoiding the mimic.

There are two types of mimics:

1. Batesian mimics, where the mimic resembles the successful species but does not share the attribute that makes the successful species distasteful to predators.
2. Mullerian mimics, where the mimic resembles the successful species and shares the distasteful attribute.

For example, the Aegeria moth is a Batesian mimic of the yellow jacket wasp, because it resembles the wasp, but is not capable of stinging. A predator who would thus avoid the wasp would similarly avoid the Aegeria.

On the other hand, a honeybee is a Mullerian mimic of the wasp, since both share similar appearance and coloring, and both are capable of stinging.

See also: predator