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The banded colour patterns of sea snakes discourage attack by predatory fishes, enabling Batesian mimicry by harmless species.

ABSTRACT: The evolution of bright 'warning' colours in nontoxic animals often is attributed to mimicry of toxic species, but empirical tests of that hypothesis must overcome the logistical challenge of quantifying differential rates of predation in nature. Populations of a harmless sea snake species (Emydocephalus annulatus) in New Caledonia exhibit colour polymorphism, with around 20% of individuals banded rather than melanic. Stability in that proportion over 20 years has been attributed to Batesian mimicry of deadly snake species by banded morphs of the harmless taxon. This hypothesis requires that banded colours reduce a snake's vulnerability to predation. We tested that idea by pulling flexible snake-shaped models through the water and recording responses by predatory fish. Black and banded lures attracted similar numbers of following fish, but attacks were directed almost exclusively to black lures. Our methods overcome several ambiguities associated with experimental studies on mimicry in terrestrial snakes and support the hypothesis that banded colour patterns reduce a non-venomous marine snake's vulnerability to predation.

SUBMITTER: Goiran C

PROVIDER: S-EPMC9667369 | biostudies-literature | 2022 Nov

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature

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The banded colour patterns of sea snakes discourage attack by predatory fishes, enabling Batesian mimicry by harmless species.

Goiran Claire C Shine Terri T Shine Richard R

Proceedings. Biological sciences 20221116 1987

The evolution of bright 'warning' colours in nontoxic animals often is attributed to mimicry of toxic species, but empirical tests of that hypothesis must overcome the logistical challenge of quantifying differential rates of predation in nature. Populations of a harmless sea snake species (<i>Emydocephalus annulatus</i>) in New Caledonia exhibit colour polymorphism, with around 20% of individuals banded rather than melanic. Stability in that proportion over 20 years has been attributed to Bates ...[more]

PMID: 36382516

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Project description:BackgroundMimicry, in which one prey species (the Mimic) imitates the aposematic signals of another prey (the Model) to deceive their predators, has attracted the general interest of evolutionary biologists. Predator psychology, especially how the predator learns and forgets, has recently been recognized as an important factor in a predator-prey system. This idea is supported by both theoretical and experimental evidence, but is also the source of a good deal of controversy because of its novel prediction that in a Model/Mimic relationship even a moderately unpalatable Mimic increases the risk of the Model (quasi-Batesian mimicry).Methodology/principal findingsWe developed a psychology-based Monte Carlo model simulation of mimicry that incorporates a "Pavlovian" predator that practices an optimal foraging strategy, and examined how various ecological and psychological factors affect the relationships between a Model prey species and its Mimic. The behavior of the predator in our model is consistent with that reported by experimental studies, but our simulation's predictions differed markedly from those of previous models of mimicry because a more abundant Mimic did not increase the predation risk of the Model when alternative prey were abundant. Moreover, a quasi-Batesian relationship emerges only when no or very few alternative prey items were available. Therefore, the availability of alternative prey rather than the precise method of predator learning critically determines the relationship between Model and Mimic. Moreover, the predation risk to the Model and Mimic is determined by the absolute density of the Model rather than by its density relative to that of the Mimic.Conclusions/significanceAlthough these predictions are counterintuitive, they can explain various kinds of data that have been offered in support of competitive theories. Our model results suggest that to understand mimicry in nature it is important to consider the likely presence of alternative prey and the possibility that predation pressure is not constant.

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The banded colour patterns of sea snakes discourage attack by predatory fishes, enabling Batesian mimicry by harmless species.

Publications

The banded colour patterns of sea snakes discourage attack by predatory fishes, enabling Batesian mimicry by harmless species.

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