Euploea Core - Mimicry

Mimicry

The protection mechanisms of the Common Crow, as of the other Danaids, and indeed of all unpalatable butterflies, result in predators learning this memorable aspect at first hand. Predators soon learn to associate the patterns and habits of the butterfly species with unpalatability and to avoid ingesting them in future.

This advantage of protection has led to a number of edible butterfly species, referred to as the mimic, evolving to resemble the inedible butterfly, which is referred to as the model. The resemblance is not only in butterfly markings, but also in behavioural and flight patterns. This form of mimicry where an edible species mimics an inedible species is called as Batesian mimicry.

The mimics can resemble the models very closely. In some cases, it requires hand examination and reference to field guides to tell them apart. The Common Crow is a good example, being mimicked by the following butterflies:

• Common Mime, Papilio clytia form dissimilis, both male and female.
• Malabar Raven, Papilio dravidarum, both male and female.
• Common Raven, Papilio castor, female.
• Great Eggfly, Hypolimnas bolina, female.
• Ceylon Palmfly, Elymnias singala male and female. (Not in India).

The genus Euploea also exhibits Müllerian mimicry. In this form of mimicry, the members of an inedible group of butterflies find it to their advantage to resemble one another so that their recognition by possible enemies is much easier. Besides this genus, the Blue Tigers (of the genus Danaus) also exhibit this form of mimicry in India.