selfmimicry

Selfmimicry is a term used in some discussions of evolutionary biology to describe cases in which an organism benefits by resembling a phenotype produced within itself or within its own species, rather than resembling a different species. The concept is not consistently defined across the literature, and many researchers treat such phenomena as forms of camouflage, polymorphism, or ontogenetic (life-stage) change rather than as a distinct, separate category of mimicry.

In practice, selfmimicry may involve phenotypic plasticity or genetic polymorphism that yields multiple, distinct appearances within a single species. This can include ontogenetic shifts where juvenile forms resemble other internal phenotypes, seasonal or geographic color morphs that mimic other self-produced variants, or behavioral and pattern changes that reduce predictability to predators or competitors. Because the mimicked traits originate within the same species, the selective pressures and evolutionary dynamics can differ from classic interspecific mimicry systems.

Evidence for selfmimicry is varied and sometimes contentious. Some alleged examples are debated, and critics argue that many such cases are better explained by general camouflage, disruptive coloration, or intraspecific signaling rather than by true mimicry of a self-produced form. As a result, selfmimicry is not universally accepted as a standalone evolutionary strategy and is more often described as a contextual label for certain intraspecific mimicry-like patterns.

See also: mimicry, camouflage, polymorphism, ontogeny, disruptive coloration.