Aggressive mimics profit from a model-signal receiver mutualism

Cheney, K. L. and Cote, I. M. (2007) Aggressive mimics profit from a model-signal receiver mutualism. Proceedings of the Royal Society of London Series B-Containing Papers of a Biological Character, 274 1622: 2087-2091.


Author Cheney, K. L.
Cote, I. M.
Title Aggressive mimics profit from a model-signal receiver mutualism
Journal name Proceedings of the Royal Society of London Series B-Containing Papers of a Biological Character  (ERA 2012 Listed)    (ERA 2010 Rank A*)   Check publisher's open access policy
Publication date 2007
Sub-type Article
DOI 10.1098/rspb.2007.0543
Volume number 274
Issue number 1622
ISSN 0962-8452
Start page 2087
End page 2091
Total pages 5
Editor Hill, W.
Place of publication London
Publisher Royal Society
Collection year 2007
Language eng
Subject 270500 Zoology
C1
270702 Marine and Estuarine Ecology (incl. Marine Ichthyology)
780105 Biological sciences
06 Biological Sciences
Abstract Mimetic species have evolved to resemble other species to avoid predation (protective mimicry) or gain access to food (aggressive mimicry). Mimicry systems are frequently tripartite interactions involving a mimic, model and 'signal receiver'. Changes in the strength of the relationship between model and signal receiver, owing to shifting environmental conditions, for example, can affect the success of mimics in protective mimicry systems. Here, we show that an experimentally induced shift in the strength of the relationship between a model (bluestreak cleaner fish, Labroides dimidiatus) and a signal receiver (staghorn damselfish, Amblyglyphidodon curacao) resulted in increased foraging success for an aggressive mimic (bluestriped fangblenny, Plagiotremus rhinorhynchos). When the parasite loads of staghorn damselfish clients were experimentally increased, the attack success of bluestriped fangblenny on damselfish also increased. Enhanced mimic success appeared to be due to relaxation of vigilance by parasitized clients, which sought cleaners more eagerly and had lower overall aggression levels. Signal receivers may therefore be more tolerant of and/or more vulnerable to attacks from aggressive mimics when the net benefit of interacting with their models is high. Changes in environmental conditions that cause shifts in the net benefits accrued by models and signal receivers may have important implications for the persistence of aggressive mimicry systems.
Keyword Biology
aggressive mimicry
coral reef fish
cleaner wrasse
cleaning symbioses
Fish Labroides-dimidiatus
Cleaner-fish
Reef Fish
Batesian Mimicry
Proximate Cause
Behavior
Distastefulness
Ectoparasites
Parasitism
Frequency
Q-Index Code C1

 
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Created: Mon, 18 Feb 2008, 14:43:36 EST