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. There are two main types of mimicry, each serving a different purpose. First, there's defensive mimicry, where a harmless species imitates a dangerous one to avoid predators. For example, the viceroy butterfly has evolved to look almost identical to the monarch butterfly, which is toxic to birds. Because birds have learned to avoid monarchs, they also avoid viceroys, giving the viceroy protection. Second, there's aggressive mimicry, where a predator uses resemblance to lure its prey. Consider the anglerfish, which lives in the deep, dark ocean. It has a glowing lure that dangles in front of its mouth, resembling a small fish or worm. When a smaller fish is attracted by this 'bait,' the anglerfish quickly snaps it up. So, in both cases, mimicry is a survival strategy, but it differs in whether the mimic is avoiding being eaten or trying to eat.