托福口语 Task 4

Today we're going to talk about a fascinating behavioral adaptation in animals called 'mimicry.' Now, mimicry isn't just about looking like another animal; it's a survival strategy. Specifically, I want to discuss 'aggressive mimicry,' where a predator or parasite mimics a harmless or attractive signal to lure its prey. There are two classic examples. First, consider the anglerfish. It lives in the deep, dark ocean where food is scarce. The female anglerfish has a fleshy growth on its head that glows with bioluminescence. This glowing lure looks like a small, tasty fish to potential prey. When an unsuspecting fish swims closer to inspect the light, the anglerfish snaps it up. Second, think of the bolas spider. Instead of spinning a web, this spider releases a single sticky thread with a ball at the end. It also emits a chemical that mimics the sex pheromone of a female moth. Male moths, attracted by the scent, fly toward the spider. As they get close, the spider swings its bolas and catches the moth. In both cases, the predator uses a deceptive signal to get a meal.