Abstract
Studies of mimicry have contributed significantly to our understanding of the process of natural selection and are well reviewed by Rettenmeyer (1970). The recent genetical investigation by Clarke, Sheppard & Thornton (1968) on the Malaysian butterfly Papilio memnon L. is of special importance. It confirms for a wholly separate and very different geographical area the conclusions arrived at in earlier genetic analyses of the African mimic, P. dardanus Brown, so admirably summarized by Ford (1964). These genetical studies make it clear that the evolution of mimicry results from the accumulation of numerous changes each of which increases to a small extent the resemblance of the mimic to the model. Consequently the older idea of Punnett (1915) and Goldschmidt (1945) that mimicry evolves by means of saltatory macromutations is no longer tenable.
This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.
Access this chapter
Tax calculation will be finalised at checkout
Purchases are for personal use only
Preview
Unable to display preview. Download preview PDF.
References
Beal F.E.L. (1918) Food habits of the swallows, a family of valuable native birds. U.S. Dept. Agr. Bull 619, 1–28.
Brower J.VZ. (1958) Experimental studies of mimicry in some North American butterflies, I. The Monarch, Danaus plexippus, and Viceroy, Limenitis archippus archippus. Evolution 12, 32–47.
Brower L.P., Brower J.VZ. & Collins C.T. (1963) Experimental studies of mimicry. 7. Relative palatability and Müllerian mimicry among neotropical butterflies of the subfamily Heliconiinae. Zoologica 48, 65–85.
Clarke C.A., Sheppard P.M. & Thornton I.W.B. (1968) The genetics of the mimetic butterfly Papilio memnon L. Phil. Trans. R. Soc. London B, 254, 37–89.
Coppinger R.P. (1969) The effect of experience and novelty on avian feeding behavior with reference to the evolution of warning coloration in butterflies. I. Reactions of wild-caught adult blue jays to novel insects. Behaviour 35, 4–60.
Coppinger R.P. (1970) The effect of experience and novelty on avian feeding behavior with reference to the evolution of warning coloration in butterflies. II. Reactions of naive birds to novel insects. Am. Nat. 104, 323–335.
Duncan C.J. & Sheppard P.M. (1963) Continuous and quantal theories of sensory discrimination. Proc. R. Soc. London B. 158, 343–363.
Duncan C. J. & Sheppard P.M. (1965) Sensory discrimination and its role in the evolution of Batesian mimicry. Behaviour 24, 269–282.
Fisher R. A. (1930) The genetical theory of natural selection. Clarendon Press, Oxford.
Ford E.B. (1964) Ecological genetics. Methuen & Co., London.
Goldschmidt R.B. (1945) Mimetic polymorphism, a controversial chapter of Darwinism. Q. Rev. Biol. 20, 147-164, 205–230.
Morgan L.P. (1900) Animal behaviour. London: Edward Arnold.
Mostler G. (1935) Beobachtungen zur Frage der Wespenmimikry. Z. Morph. Öekol. Tiere 29, 381–454.
Muhlmann M. (1934) Im Modellversuch küntslich erzeugte Mimikry und ihre Bedeutung für den ‘Nachamer’. Z. Morph. Öekol Tiere 28, 259–296.
Punnett R.C. (1915) Mimicry in butterflies. Cambridge University Press.
Rettenmeyer C.W. (1970) Insect mimicry. A. Rev. Ent. 15, 43–74.
Schmidt R.S. (1958) Behavioral evidence on the evolution of Batesian mimicry. Anim. Behav. 16, 129–138.
Schmidt R.S. (1960) Predator behavior and the perfection of incipient mimetic resemblances. Behaviour 15, 244–252.
Sheppard P.M. (1961) Recent genetical work on polymorphic mimetic Papilios. Symposia Royal Entomological Society 1, 23–30.
Thorpe W.H. (1963) Learning and Instinct in Animals. Methuen & Co., London.
Windecker W. (1939) Eucheliajacobeae L. und das Schutzrachtenproblem. Z. Morph. Öekol Tiere 35, 84–139.
Editor information
Editors and Affiliations
Rights and permissions
Copyright information
© 1971 Blackwell Scientific Publications
About this chapter
Cite this chapter
Brower, L.P., Alcock, J., Brower, J.V.Z. (1971). Avian Feeding Behaviour and the Selective Advantage of Incipient Mimicry. In: Creed, R. (eds) Ecological Genetics and Evolution. Springer, New York, NY. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4757-0432-7_12
Download citation
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4757-0432-7_12
Publisher Name: Springer, New York, NY
Print ISBN: 978-1-4757-0434-1
Online ISBN: 978-1-4757-0432-7
eBook Packages: Springer Book Archive