| Literature DB >> 29888995 |
Simcha Lev-Yadun1,2.
Abstract
Müllerian and Batesian mimicry were originally defined in defensive (anti-predetory) animal systems. Later these terms were adopted by botanists studying pollination that defined rewarding flowers as Müllerian mimics and rewardless flowers as Batesian mimics. The use of these terms concerning pollination predated our recent understanding of how common plant aposematism is and the related defensive Müllerian and Batesian mimicry types. Being non-defensive, using the terms Müllerian and Batesian mimicry for rewarding/rewardless flowers is, however, confusing if not misleading, and is also logically inappropriate. I suggest to first stop using the terms Batesian and Müllerian mimicry concerning rewarding/rewardless flowers and pollination, and second, to define the guild of flowers that reward pollinatiors as Darwinian mimics and those that do not reward pollinators as Wallacian mimics.Keywords: Batesian mimicry; Müllerian mimicry; plant-animal interactions; pollination
Mesh:
Year: 2018 PMID: 29888995 PMCID: PMC6110362 DOI: 10.1080/15592324.2018.1480846
Source DB: PubMed Journal: Plant Signal Behav ISSN: 1559-2316