托福口语 Task 4

Today, we're going to talk about a fascinating concept in biology called 'mimicry,' where one species evolves to resemble another for survival. There are two main types: Batesian mimicry, where a harmless species mimics a dangerous one, and Müllerian mimicry, where two harmful species evolve to look alike. Let me give you two examples. First, consider the scarlet kingsnake, which is harmless but has red, yellow, and black bands similar to the venomous coral snake. Predators learn to avoid the coral snake's bright colors, so they also avoid the kingsnake, giving it protection. Second, think of the monarch and viceroy butterflies. Both are toxic to birds, but they share similar orange and black patterns. Because birds learn to avoid one, they avoid the other too, and both species benefit from this shared warning signal. So, while Batesian mimicry exploits another species' warning, Müllerian mimicry reinforces a common signal for mutual protection.