Question

Which of the following antipredator defenses is more likely to be found in an animal that is palatable to its predators?

a) Mimicry
b) Cryptic coloration
c) Aposematism
d) Startle response
e) Batesian mimicry

Answer 1

In Batesian mimicry, a palatable non-harmful species mimics the warning coloration of a harmful one to decrease its chances of predation, which is an effective survival strategy for an animal palatable to predators. The correct option is e).

Step-by-step explanation:

The antipredator defense that is more likely to be found in an animal that is palatable to its predators is e) Batesian mimicry. This type of mimicry occurs when a non-harmful species adopts the warning coloration of a harmful one, which provides it with a survival advantage.

For instance, many insect species mimic the coloration of wasps or bees, which are known for being stinging, venomous insects, to discourage predation from their shared predators even though they themselves may not have the same defenses.

This strategy allows them to avoid predation by harnessing the predators' learned avoidance of the harmful species' coloration. Option e) is the correct one.