The golden mimicry complex uses a wide spectrum of defence to deter a community of predators

Abstract

Mimicry complexes typically consist of multiple species that deter predators using similar anti-predatory signals. Mimics in these complexes are assumed to vary in their level of defence from highly defended through to moderately defended, or not defended at all. Here, we report a new multi-order mimicry complex that includes at least 140 different putative mimics from four arthropod orders including ants, wasps, bugs, tree hoppers and spiders. All members of this mimicry complex are characterised by a conspicuous golden body and an ant Gestalt, but vary substantially in their defensive traits. However, they were similarly effective at deterring predators - even mildly defended mimics were rarely eaten by a community of invertebrate and vertebrate predators both in the wild and during staged trials. We propose that despite the predominance of less defended mimics the three predatory guilds avoid the mimics because of the additive influence of the various defensive traits.DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.7554/eLife.22089.001

No ontogenetic shift in the realised trophic niche but in Batesian mimicry in an ant-eating spider

“…Such mimic(s) might be engaged in a mimetic complex that includes both accurate and inaccurate mimics, possessing variety of defence levels. Recently, we discovered such a complex composed mainly of ants, but also spiders, wasps and hemipterans in Australia 23 . Indeed, it has been reported that at Ndumo there are number of ants (Polyrhachis, Camponotus), spiders (Merenius, Apochinomma, Myrmarachne, Corinnomma, Kima, Castianeira), katydid nymphs (Eurycorypha) and heteropterans (Myrmoplasta) with a similar shining-grey colouration 19,[24][25][26] .…”

“…They all may form a mimetic complex 25 . While ants and heteropterans presumably represent Mullerian mimics because they are defended by physical (Polyrhachis) and chemical (Camponotus, heteropterans) weapons, spiders and katydids are most likely Batesian mimics, as they are harmless 23 .…”

Look before you jump: jumping spiders discriminate different ants by visual cues

“…Spiders’ response toward black-gold colored carpenter ants fell in between their response towards red and black ants. A recent study has suggested that gold/yellow color is also aposematic to a wide range of invertebrate and vertebrate predators (Pekár et al , 2017). Whether color could play a significant component in distinguishing ants remains to be tested.…”

Sympolymnia, a new genus of Neotropical ant-like spider, with description of two new species and indirect evidence for transformational mimicry (Araneae, Salticidae, Simonellini)

“…Mimicry complexes involving adult polymorphic jumping spiders were described for Synemosyna aurantiaca (Mello-Leitão, 1917) (reviewed by Cushing 1997) and Myrmarachne in Australia (Pekár et al 2017). Gilbert (2005) proposed that polymorphism in a mimetic species increases the protection against predation because it reduces the number of mimics per model.…”