-Phermones are chemical signals used by animals for communication
-Allow animals to convey important information to each other regarding reproduction, food, etc.
-Many phermones function as mate attractants
-Can cause behavioral or physiological change
-Queen bees use phermones to maintain social order of honeybee colonies by preventing worker bees from being able to reproduce
-Help animals find a mating partner
-Help colonies gather food
-Mimicry is when an animal bears a superficial resemblance to another species
-Mullerian mimicry is when several animals, all with some special defense mechanism share the same aposematic coloration
-Many types of bees all have the same coloration to warn predators
-Batesian mimicry is when an animal without any special defense mechanism mimics the coloration of an animal that does possess a defense
-Some animals have similar black and yellow markings as bees to scare off predators, even though they have no defense mechanisms
-Mimicry helps prey escape predators by making the prey seem dangerous
-Mimicry also protects animals with defense mechanisms (Mullerian) because predators quickly learn that certain coloring mean trouble
-Mimicry can help predators appear as something different to their prey and lure the prey in for them to eat
-Mimicry also helps plants pollinate in some cases when flowers resemble insects and other insects try to mate with the flower; they take pollen from the plant and spread it elsewhere
-Instinct is behavior that is innate and inherited
-Behavior occurs regardless of environment
-Fixed action patterns are innate behaviors that follow a regular, unvarying pattern
-Initiated by a specific stimulus
-Male stickleback fish defend their territory against other males; this instinct is stimulated when they see the red belly of males
-Any object with red will stimulate aggressiveness in male sticklebacks
-Increases fitness of an animal
-Helps animals defend themselves from predators...
Plate from Bates (1862) illustrating Batesian mimi...
Mimicry in Butterflies Is Seen here on These Class...
Monarch (Danaus plexippus)