托福口语 Task 4

Today we're going to talk about a fascinating concept in biology called 'mimicry'. Now, mimicry is when one species evolves to look or behave like another species, and it usually serves a specific survival purpose. There are two main types we'll focus on: defensive mimicry and aggressive mimicry. Let me give you an example of each. First, defensive mimicry. Think of the harmless scarlet king snake. Its coloring—red, yellow, and black bands—closely resembles the venomous coral snake. Predators that have learned to avoid coral snakes will also avoid the king snake, giving it protection without actually being dangerous. Second, aggressive mimicry. This is when a predator mimics something harmless to lure its prey. For instance, the anglerfish lives in the deep ocean where it's dark. It has a special fin that glows and dangles in front of its mouth, resembling a small worm or fish. Smaller fish are attracted to the glow, and when they come close, the anglerfish quickly snaps them up. So, both types of mimicry show how species adapt to improve their chances of survival, whether by avoiding being eaten or by catching food more effectively.