Aposematism: what it is and examples

Aposematism is the phenomenon or strategy used by different species of animals (and some plants) to warn other species of living beings of their chemical toxicity . Coming from the Greek “apo” (far, apart) and “sema” (signal), aposematism is based on using warning signs to ward off other species, mainly predators. To do this, aposematic species have striking colorations and certain behaviors that they use as a warning sign of their own toxicity.

Now that we know what are the warning colors in animals and plants or the aposematism strategy, let’s go on to see in the next sections more characteristics and concrete examples of this amazing phenomenon of nature.

Among the main characteristics of aposematism are:

• The type of aposematic colorations that exist among living things that use this survival strategy. Generally, these aposematic colorations present intense yellow, orange, red, blue and black colors, sometimes combined with each other, or separately.
• When observing these colors in their prey, predators relate that it is a species with some type of toxic substance, poison or irritating liquids that can cause damage and even death.
• In this way, aposematic species have different characteristics linked to their aposematism, so that they can have glands that release irritating compounds, toxic substances on their skin or even stingers that inject poison.

Within animal aposematism , amphibians and insects are the groups of organisms that have most developed this strategy of warning of its toxicity, although there are also some species of aposematic mammals and even aposematism strategies in fish. In the following list we offer examples of aposematism , mentioning common and scientific names of many of the most incredible aposematic animal species and, furthermore, below you can find their photos in the same order:

• Strawberry Dart Frog ( Oophaga granulifera)
• The frog dardo Amarillo ( Phyllobates awesome )
• Common salamander (family Salamandridae)
• Avispón (Vespa crabro)
• Wasps (Order Hymenoptera)
• Abejas (Apis mellifera)
• Camarón mantis (Gonodactylus smithii)
• Mofetas (familia Mephitidae)
• Coral snake (family Elapidae)
• Lionfish ( Pterois antennata )
• Ladybugs, San Antonio vaquitas or ladybugs ( Coccinella septempunctata )
• Mariposa monarca (Danaus plexippus)

To learn more about this topic, we recommend this other article: Are salamanders poisonous?

Among the strategies that many species of animals and plants have developed to survive, those related to hiding with the environment that surrounds them and even resembling other poisonous species to be thus confused by predators stand out. For each of these strategies, within biology different concepts are distinguished. Next, we talk about mimicry, crypsis, and aposematism and their differences :

Mimicry

Mimicry involves the use of a specific anatomy and coloring by the body as a disguise that mimics another species that it wants to resemble as much as possible to ensure its survival. It is amazing how, without maintaining any kind of biological relationship or kinship, two different species manage to resemble each other morphologically, with the aim of achieving some biological advantage and guaranteeing their survival. Thus, through mimicry, organisms deceive other species with which they live in the same habitat (mainly their predators), confusing their senses of sight, hearing and smell and, in this way, they manage to survive longer. weather.

To learn more about this survival strategy, we encourage you to read this other article about What is mimicry and examples .

Crypsis or camouflage

Camouflage or crypsis is the individual’s ability to blend in with the environment they are in. This is achieved by changing its color and / or its shape to have a camouflage that gives more effective results and that, in this way, predators cannot differentiate it.

If you want to know more about the crypsis or camouflage strategy, we recommend this post about 20 animals that camouflage themselves .

aposematism

Finally, as we have seen throughout the article, aposematism simply allows toxic and / or poisonous species to warn of their danger to avoid being captured by most of their predators. In this way, aposemtaism could be considered as a strategy contrary to camouflage , since the species expose their intense warning colorations to other living beings, instead of camouflaging themselves with the environment to avoid being discovered by their predators.

To continue expanding this information, do not hesitate to meet these Animals that change color and their strategies.

If you want to read more articles similar to Aposematism: what it is and examples , we recommend that you enter our Biology category .