automimikry

Automimikry is a biological phenomenon where an organism mimics itself. This often occurs in the context of predation, where a part of the organism's body that is not vital for survival resembles another part that is more conspicuous or desirable to a predator, thereby diverting an attack away from the essential organs. For example, some insects have false eyespots on their wings or bodies. If a predator attacks these false eyespots, the insect can escape with only minor damage. Another form of automimikry involves toxins. Some species may have less toxic individuals that mimic the warning coloration of more toxic individuals within the same population. Predators learn to avoid the warning signal after encountering the more toxic individuals, thus also avoiding the less toxic ones. This strategy benefits the less toxic individuals by providing protection without the energetic cost of producing high levels of toxins. Automimikry can also be seen in instances where a non-venomous snake mimics the appearance of a venomous one, or where a herbivore's less edible body parts are colored similarly to its more edible parts, deterring herbivores from attacking the latter. It is a form of Batesian mimicry when applied to different species, but automimikry specifically refers to self-mimicry within a single species.