托福口语 Task 4

Today, we're going to discuss a fascinating concept in biology called 'mimicry.' Mimicry is when one species evolves to look or behave like another species, often to gain a survival advantage. There are two main types: defensive mimicry and aggressive mimicry. Let me give you two examples. First, consider the harmless milk snake. It has evolved to mimic the colors and patterns of the venomous coral snake. Predators, like birds, learn to avoid coral snakes after a nasty encounter, and they mistake the milk snake for the dangerous one, leaving it alone. This is defensive mimicry. Second, think about the anglerfish. It has a fleshy appendage that dangles in front of its mouth, mimicking a small worm. When smaller fish come to eat what they think is a worm, the anglerfish snaps them up. Here, the mimicry helps the predator attract prey, so it's aggressive mimicry. Both examples show how mimicry helps species survive, but in opposite ways—one to avoid being eaten, the other to eat.