A comparative analysis of the evolution of imperfect mimicry

• Published in: Nature (London) Vol. 483; no. 7390; pp. 461 - 464
• Main Authors: Penney, Heather D., Hassall, Christopher, Skevington, Jeffrey H., Abbott, Kevin R., Sherratt, Thomas N.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: London Nature Publishing Group UK 22.03.2012; Nature Publishing Group
• Subjects: 631/158; 631/181/2476; 631/181/757; 631/601/1466; Animals; Biological and medical sciences; Biological Evolution; Bites and Stings; Body size; Body Size - physiology; Confidence intervals; Diptera; Diptera - anatomy & histology; Diptera - classification; Diptera - physiology; Discriminant analysis; Evolution; Fundamental and applied biological sciences. Psychology; Genetics of eukaryotes. Biological and molecular evolution; Humanities and Social Sciences; Hymenoptera; letter; Methods; Models, Biological; Molecular Mimicry - physiology; multidisciplinary; Multivariate analysis; Phylogeny; Predators; Predatory Behavior - physiology; Prey; Science; Science (multidisciplinary); Selection, Genetic; Syrphidae; Trees; Prey; Batesian mimicry; Arthropoda; Insecta; Biological evolution; Morphology; Body size; Phylogeny; Invertebrata; Syrphidae; Diptera; Natural selection

In hoverflies with a small body size, even imperfect Batesian mimicry suffices to limit predation because they are not subject to particularly intense selection. Why hoverflies create a poor impression Batesian mimics are potential prey species that are harmless to predators but gain protection thro...