Monarch butterflies are protected from birds and other predators but the cardiac glycosides they incorporate into their tissues are from eating milkweed when they were in their caterpillar stage of development. The wings of a different species of butterfly, the Viceroy, look nearly identical to the Monarch so predators that have learned not to eat the bad-tasting Monarch avoid Viceroys as well. This example best describes
A)aposmatic coloration.
B)cryptic coloration.
C)Batesian mimicry.
D)Müllerian mimicry.
E)mutualism.

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

Batesian mimicry is when a harmless species mimics the warning signals of a harmful species to avoid predation. In this case, the Viceroy butterfly mimics the Monarch butterfly's bad-tasting cardiac glycosides to avoid predation by predators that have learned to avoid Monarchs.

Monarch Butterflies Are Protected from Birds and Other Predators but the Cardiac