Mimicry on insects: Strategy to survive!

According to the Encarta Encyclopedia (2005), mimicry is defined as the physical or behavioral resemblance or behavior by one species to another species that benefits itself, or indirectly both. Organisms that "mimic" are called mimics, whereas "imitated" organisms are called models. In nature, quite a number of organisms, both plants and animals that do mimicry for defense purposes as well as gain feed. Insects are one type of animal that performs mimicry, and in many cases proves to be effective.

The phenomenon of mimicry itself was first researched by Henry Walter Bates, a naturalist from England in 1862 on a butterfly in the jungle of Brasilia. Until now there are known types of mimicry on insects, and several well-known species are (1) Batesian mimicry, which refers to the name H.W. Bates, the first researcher of this phenomenon, (2) Mullic mimicry, (3) mimicry of Browerian (similar to Batesian mimicry but occurs in individuals within a species), and (4) Peckhamian mimicry (aggression mimicry).

Batesian Mimicry

The mechanism of this mimicry is imitation by a copycat insect classified as harmless in insect models that are either dangerous or toxic. A well-known example is the syrphid flies of the genus Eristalis spp. Whose morphology and behavior are very similar to the Apis mellifera bee species (Golding and Edmunds, 2000). In both studies, the syrphid fly proved to mimic the behavior of bees very closely from the time aspect of the visit to a particular plant-plant flower, in addition it is morphologically very similar. Other examples, such as the staphylinid myrmecophilous beetle, Pella comes capable of mimicking the morphology of the host ant, and even prevent it from predation by the predator (tree frog) (Taniguchi et al., 2005).

Mullicular Mimicry

In the beginning, the Mullerian mimicry phenomenon is considered a Batesian mimicry. However, then the phenomenon of Mullerian mimicry is a completely different phenomenon with Mullerian mimicry. In Mullerian mimicry, two species that are both equally toxic or harmful share a body color (hazardous!) Signal that is usually a bright color (aposematic or warning coloration, to be discussed later). The German naturalist Fritz Muller explains that the advantage of this mimicry phenomenon is that if two species share an aposematic signal, it confuses the predators of both species that do the mimicry. These shared species are referred to as members of the Mullerian complex. Examples of the two species that perform Mullerian mimicry are the King Butterfly, Danaus plexippus and Viceroy Butterfly, the equally unpleasant Limenitis archippus, sharing a pattern of body color and behavior.

Mimicry Browerian

This phenomenon is considered to be similar to Batesian mimicry, but occurs among individuals in one species. This phenomenon is found by Lincoln P. Brower and Jane Van Zandt Brower, and also called automimicry. This mimicry appears in butterfly species, such as D. plexippus who eat milkweed plants that vary in their toxicity. The advantage of this mimicry is, if the predator feeds on some individual larvae or imago, and then finds that one individual feels very uncomfortable, then the predator will soon stop eating it, and leave the butterfly colony. That is, some individuals become sacrifices for the salvation of all the remaining individuals.

Mimicry Peckhamian

Insects that apply this type of mimicry (called Peckhamian mimicry referring to its discoverer, George and Elizabeth Peckhman) will mimic the characteristics of insects that are harmless or may be useful to "deceive" the host or prey, making it easier to prey on it without being suspected by the members of its prey colony. For example, for example, three species of sulfphid flies predate the genus Microdon that mimics the host ant pupa (genus Camponotus and Formica). Observations by Garnett et al (1985) demonstrate that instar larvae 1 and 2 Microdon are able to mimic the morphology, even the distinctive "odor" of the two species of the ants are so similar, allowing them to prey on the ants. Another example is the female Photuris firefly that is able to emit light flickering patterns similar to the light flickering pattern of firefly species of Photinus. As a result, Photinus's male fireflies were captivated by the Photuris's mating invitation, which culminated in death, for once it arrived, the "female" turned out to be a prospective predator! Even more intense, by preying on Photinus, the Photurisian females will obtain a useful steroidal compound of lucibufagins as a defense compound of the prey (Eisner et al., 1997).