托福口语 Task 4

Today, we're going to talk about a fascinating concept in biology called 'mimicry.' Mimicry is when one species evolves to resemble another species, often to gain a survival advantage. There are two main types: defensive mimicry and aggressive mimicry. Let me give you two examples. First, the monarch butterfly is toxic to predators because it feeds on milkweed. The viceroy butterfly, however, is not toxic, but it has evolved to look almost identical to the monarch. This is defensive mimicry—predators avoid the viceroy because they mistake it for the toxic monarch. Second, consider the anglerfish. It has a fleshy growth on its head that looks like a small worm. When smaller fish approach to eat the 'worm,' the anglerfish quickly snaps them up. This is aggressive mimicry—the anglerfish uses its appearance to lure prey. So, in both cases, mimicry helps the species survive, but through different mechanisms.