Question

In the article, “A Lizard with a Blue Tongue,” you learned that blue-tongued skinks will fool their predators into thinking they're poisonous to eat when they aren't. The brightly- coloured tongues and mouths of the skinks help them to trick their predators into thinking this. Choose another species that uses a disguise, trick, or physical feature to fool its predators into staying away. Describe the species, identify a predator it might have, and explain the disguise, trick, or feature it uses to scare away the predator.

Answer 1

The Monarch butterfly and Mimic Octopus are two species that use defense mechanisms to deter predators. Monarchs store toxins from milkweed to make themselves poisonous, deterring predators like birds through aposomatic coloring. The Mimic Octopus changes its shape and color to imitate venomous species and fend off larger fish.

Step-by-step explanation:

Defense Mechanisms in Animals

Like the blue-tongued skink, other animal species use ingenious methods to deter predators. One such species is the North American Monarch butterfly (Danaus plexippus). The Monarch caterpillar feeds on milkweed, which contains toxic cardiac glycosides. The toxins are stored in the caterpillar's tissues, making them poisonous throughout their life cycle. When predators like birds try to eat the Monarch butterfly, they experience a bitter taste and can get sick. This negative experience teaches predators to avoid Monarchs in the future, which is a clear example of aposomatic coloring, where bright colors serve as a warning sign to predators.

Another species known for its defensive disguise is the Mimic Octopus (Thaumoctopus mimicus). This amazing cephalopod mimics the physical appearance and behavior of local venomous species, like lionfish, sea snakes, and flatfish, to deter predators such as larger fish. The Mimic Octopus's ability to change its shape and color is a sophisticated form of animal deception and an extraordinary survival tactic.

Answer 2

We think of butterfly wings as being colorful, but many are relatively drab on the underside. Some butterflies protect themselves through camouflage—by folding up their wings, they reveal the undersides and blend in with their surroundings. Through this strategy, known as crypsis, they become nearly invisible to predators.

Bright colors and distinctive wing patterns can, however, be advantageous. The caterpillars of many species feed on toxic plants, and throughout their lives, their tissues are poisonous to predators. The adult butterflies make no attempt to hide themselves; instead, their bright, warning coloration is like a neon sign. A bird that eats one of these toxic butterflies remembers the experience—and avoids repeating it.

Some butterflies simply fool their predators. As caterpillars, they feed on nontoxic plants, and when they become adult butterflies, they are perfectly good food. However, they have evolved wing colors and patterns that look almost exactly like those of the toxic species—a phenomenon called mimicry. Birds and lizards that have learned to avoid bold warning coloration leave these imitators alone.