MUELLERIAN MIMICRY AND THE PSYCHOLOGY OF PREDATION

Using psychologically based rules, a computer program which simulates predator behaviour was constructed and applied to situations involving mimetic prey. It adjusted attack probabilities on the basis that learning about prey palatability is Pavlovian and allowed time-based forgetting between attacks. Using this predator system, predictions for different kinds of mimicry were made. Palatable mimics produced results that agree with the traditional view of Batesian mimicry. There were two major mimetic effects when prey were unpalatable: One type was like traditional Muellerian mimicry showing negative density dependence and predicted mimetic monomorphism. The second occurred only when prey species were unequally unpalatable and shared characteristics with Batesian mimicry; the less unpalatable mimic had a positive density dynamic and thus a tendency towards mimetic polymorphism. This prediction might explain some formerly problematic examples of unpalatable, polymorphic mimics. © 1993 The Association for the Study of Animal Behaviour. All rights reserved.