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Brief Communications
Nature 433, 211-212 (20 January 2005) | doi:10.1038/433211a; Published online 19 January 2005
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Animal mimicry: Choosing when to be a cleaner-fish mimic
Isabelle M. Côté1 & Karen L. Cheney1
Abstract
A dangerous fish can discard a seemingly harmless disguise to suit its circumstances.
Abstract
Mimicry in vertebrates is usually a permanent state — mimics resemble and normally accompany their model throughout the life stages during which they act as mimics. Here we show that the bluestriped fangblenny fish (Plagiotremus rhinorhynchos), which aggressively attacks other coral-reef fish, can turn off the mimetic colours that disguise it as the benign bluestreak cleaner wrasse, Labroides dimidiatus, and assume a radically different appearance. This opportunistic facultative mimicry extends the fangblenny's scope by allowing it to blend into shoals of small reef fish as well as to remain inconspicuous at cleaning stations.
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