Avian Predators Avoid Attacking Fly-Mimicking Beetles: A Field Experiment on Evasive Mimicry Using Artificial Prey

• Published in: The American naturalist Vol. 204; no. 1; p. 96
• Main Authors: Guerra, Tadeu José, Braga, Rodrigo Fagundes, Camarota, Flávio, Neves, Frederico Siqueira, Fernandes, Geraldo Wilson
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: United States 01.07.2024
• Subjects: Animals; Biological Mimicry; Birds - physiology; Coleoptera - physiology; Diptera - physiology; Pigmentation; Predatory Behavior; color; plasticine replicas; predation risk; evasive mimicry; insectivorous birds; campo rupestre; adaptive significance

AbstractMany Neotropical beetles present coloration patterns mimicking red-eyed flies, which are presumably evasive mimicry models. However, the role of predators in selecting for evasive mimics in nature remains untested. In a field experiment, we used nontoxic plasticine replicas of a specialized...