托福口语 Task 4

Today, we're going to talk about a fascinating concept in biology called 'mimicry'. Specifically, I want to focus on how certain animals use mimicry not just to hide from predators, but to actively lure their prey. This is known as aggressive mimicry. Let me give you two examples. First, consider the anglerfish. It lives in the deep, dark ocean. It has a special fin that dangles in front of its mouth, glowing like a small lure. Smaller fish, attracted by the light, swim closer to investigate. When they get near enough, the anglerfish snaps them up. The second example is the bolas spider. This spider doesn't build a web. Instead, it produces a single sticky thread with a droplet at the end, which it swings. The droplet mimics the pheromones of a female moth. Male moths, seeking a mate, fly toward the droplet. When they touch it, they become stuck, and the spider reels them in. So in both cases, the predator uses a deceptive signal to attract its next meal.