Final answer:
The resemblance between different poisonous dart frog species in Peru is an example of Müllerian mimicry, where multiple toxic species share similar warning coloration to mutually enhance predator avoidance.
Step-by-step explanation:
The resemblance of poison dart frog species of the genus Ranitomeya to one another in Peru is an example of Müllerian mimicry. This is a situation where different species, all of which are toxic, share similar warning coloration to signal to predators that they are not good prey choices.
In the context of Müllerian mimicry, each species benefits from the shared coloration because it strengthens the predators' avoidance response. Since all mimicking species are genuinely toxic, predators who learn to avoid one species with a particular coloration will likely avoid all species with that same appearance. This reduces the likelihood of any one species being attacked and reinforces the warning signal associated with that coloration.
This is different from Batesian mimicry, where a non-toxic species would mimic the coloration of a toxic species, thereby gaining protection without actually being harmful. Müllerian mimicry is an adaptive strategy that has evolved in many groups of organisms, including these frogs, as it mutually reinforces defensive signals to potential predators.