page_title: Aggressive mimicry
section_title: Appearance of food
hierarchical_section_title: Aggressive mimicry / Classification / Luring prey / Appearance of food
context_page_description: Aggressive mimicry is a form of mimicry in which predators, parasites or parasitoids share similar signals, using a harmless model, allowing them to avoid being correctly identified by their prey or host. Zoologists have repeatedly compared this strategy to a wolf in sheep's clothing. In its broadest sense, aggressive mimicry could include various types of exploitation, as when an orchid exploits a male insect by mimicking a sexually receptive female, but will here be restricted to forms of exploitation involving feeding. An alternative term Peckhamian mimicry has been suggested, but is seldom used. The metaphor of a wolf in sheep's clothing can be used as an analogy, but with the caveat that mimics are not intentionally deceiving their prey. For example, indigenous Australians who dress up as and imitate kangaroos when hunting would not be considered aggressive mimics, nor would a human angler, though they are undoubtedly practising self-decoration camouflage. Treated separately is molecular mimicry, which shares some similarity; for instance a virus may mimic the molecular properties of its host, allowing it access to its cells.
context_section_description: Many aggressive mimics use the promise of nourishment as a way of attracting prey.  The alligator snapping turtle (Macrochelys temminckii) is a well-camouflaged ambush predator. Its tongue bears a conspicuous pink extension that resembles a worm and can be wriggled around; fish that try to eat the "worm" are themselves eaten by the turtle. Similarly, some snakes employ caudal luring (using the tail) or lingual luring (using the tongue) to entice small vertebrates into striking range.
  Aggressive mimicry is common amongst spiders, both in luring prey and stealthily approaching predators. One case is the golden orb weaver (Nephila clavipes), which spins a conspicuous golden coloured web in well-lit areas. Experiments show that bees are able to associate the webs with danger when the yellow pigment is not present, as occurs in less well-lit areas where the web is much harder to see. Other colours too were learned and avoided, but bees seemed least able to effectively associate yellow pigmented webs with danger. Yellow is the colour of many nectar bearing flowers, however, so perhaps avoiding yellow is not worthwhile. Another form of mimicry is based not on colour but pattern. Species such as Argiope argentata employ prominent patterns in the middle of their webs, such as zigzags. These may reflect ultraviolet light, and mimic the pattern seen in many flowers known as nectar guides. Spiders change their web day to day, which can be explained by bees' ability to remember web patterns. Bees are able to associate a certain pattern with a spatial location, meaning the spider must spin a new pattern regularly or suffer diminishing prey capture.
  Spiders can be the prey of aggressive mimics. The assassin bug Stenolemus bituberus preys on spiders, entering their web and plucking its silk threads until the spider approaches. This vibrational aggressive mimicry matches a general pattern of vibrations which spiders treat as prey, having a similar temporal structure and amplitude to leg and body movements of typical prey caught in the web.
  Larvae of the ground beetle Epomis move their mandibles one after another to lure amphibians toward them and then prey on them. Their body structure allows them to bite and feed on the amphibians even when they are ingested by larger prey such as frogs.
  Although plants are better known for defensive mimicry, there are exceptions. For example, many flowers use mimicry to attract pollinators, while others may trick insects into dispersing their seeds. Nonetheless, most mimicry in plants would not be classified as aggressive, as although luring pollinators is similar to cases above, they are certainly not eaten by the plant. However some carnivorous plants may be able to increase their rate of capture through mimicry. For example, some have patterns in the ultraviolet region of the electromagnetic spectrum, much like the spider webs described above.
caption: The bright leaves of the Venus flytrap (Dionaea muscipula) attract insects in the same way as flowers.
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