Some animal
species have developed the amazing ability to mimic different features of other
animals and benefit from it. They do it with different goals such as to avoid
predators, to hunt more easily, or to ensure that their life cycle continues. Not
all mimicking animals are the same, some just imitate the physical aspect and others imitate
behavior as well. In today’s article, we are going to cover five of the most
interesting masters of disguise in the animal kingdom, if you are interested,
keep reading.
5. YELLOW-LEGGED
CLEARWING:
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| Photo by: Patrick Clement https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.0/ |
As amazing
as it may sound, the insect in the photo isn’t a wasp, although that is what
they want everyone to believe. It is called Synanthedon vespiformis
(vespiformis means with the shape of a wasp) and it is a moth. It is found in
oak areas because their larvae feed on oak wood. To avoid its predators, this kind of moth mimics the size, shape and color of wasps, which are more dangerous than
moths. I think it does a really good job of resembling a wasp, don’t you agree?
4. SNAIL
EYE PARASITE:
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| Photo by: Eveline van der Jagt https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/deed.en |
As scary
and lousy as this may sound, it is one of the most complex examples of animal
mimicry. Leucochloridium paradoxum is a parasite flatworm that has a
very interesting but scary life cycle. Their larvae live in bird excrements and
are ingested by snail, which are their first hosts. Once in the snail, it turns
into a sporocyst and form brood sacks. Once these are developed enough, they
invade the snail’s ocular tentacles (left one preferably, the reason isn't known). The tentacles swell
and perform pulsating motions, which makes them look like worms. While this is
happening, the parasite inhibits light detection, which changes the snail’s
behavior. Normally, snails try to find dark places but, as they lack their
light detection, they are more likely to expose themselves. Attracted by the
worm-looking tentacles, birds attack and eat the snails, becoming the second
host of these parasites. Once in the bird’s digestive system, parasite
cercariae develop into adults, which lay eggs. Eggs are excreted with the bird’s
excrements, ready for another snail to feed on them. In my opinion it is just
as fascinating as it is scary, that a parasite has coevolved in such a complex
relationship with its host and has managed to change their behavior on their
benefit.
3. FALSE
CORAL SNAKE:
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| Photo by: Bernard DUPONT https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/2.0/ |
Also known
as American pipe snake, the false coral snake is a true master of disguise. They
are found in South America and their scientific name is Anilius scytale.
They are the only members of their genus, which is the only one of its family. Despite
its lack of venom, it has managed to scare predator in a very interesting way. Their
color pattern reminds of a really dangerous snake known as coral snake. Coral snake
venom is one of the most powerful in America, which makes predators think twice
before attacking the false coral snake.
2. ANT-MIMICKING
SPIDER:
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| Photo by: Pavel Kirillov https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/2.0/ |
If observed
by the naked eye, these jumping spiders might just be identified as ants. They are
known as ant-mimicking spiders for obvious reasons and they all belong to a
genus called Myrmarachne. They have elongated chelicerae and waists to resemble
the shape of ants. To mimic the behavior of ants, these spiders wave their
first pair of legs in the air to look like they have antennae. They have gotten
so skilled at acting like ants that they even adopt their zig-zag walking
patterns. But why would a spider want to look like an ant? There are two main reasons,
one related to hunting and the second one to predator protection. If you look
like a harmless ant, it is easier to get near preys without scaring them (they almost
never attack ants), which gives these jumping spiders a tactical advantage. Also,
they avoid predators because as amazing as it may sound, most of them do not
like to mess with ants, since they can be numerous and aggressive at times.
1. MIMIC OCTOPUS:
Of course,
we could not consider this list complete without the king of all masters of
disguise, the mimic octopus. These have adapted to imitate not one, but several
different species to almost perfection. It uses mimicry to scare predators and
to confuse prey. They are very intelligent animals (as all the octopuses) and can read every situation
to perform the most adequate type of imitation. To avoid predators, it can mimic
different dangerous or predatory species such as lionfishes, sea snakes, jellyfish
or zebra soles. It chooses its disguise based on its persecutor, depending on
who are its natural predators. It also mimics crabs and acts as a mate, which
confuses other crabs and lowers their defenses. When near enough, it attacks,
and it is too late for the crab. It is fascinating that mimic octopuses have this
amazing tactical intelligence and can quickly and effectively adapt to any
situation.
Clip by: Steve Childs
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