Study
Frequency-dependent Batesian mimicry
Pfennig, David W.; Harcombe, William R.; Pfennig, Karin S.
Nature, 2001
Plasticine replicas of the harmless scarlet kingsnake, in mimetic ringed colouring and in plain brown, were placed at sites where the venomous coral snake model is present and at sites beyond its range. Attack marks left by wild predators in the soft replicas were counted.
- Studied in
- Lampropeltis elapsoides, Micrurus fulvius
- Sample size
- plasticine snake replicas across sites inside and outside the model’s range
Where the coral snake was present, ringed replicas were attacked significantly less than plain ones. Beyond the model’s range the protection disappeared and ringed replicas were attacked as often or more often than plain ones.
What it means
The authors' reading, and ours. Where they differ, that difference is the point.
How the authors put it
Batesian mimicry is advantageous only where predators have encountered the model, confirming that the protection depends on the receiver’s experience rather than on the resemblance itself.
How NatureHQ reads it
This is the experiment that makes the three-party definition testable rather than merely a definition. The mimic is identical in both places; what changes is whether local predators have learned anything. Move the receiver’s experience and the mimicry stops working — which is exactly what "mimicry requires a receiver that is fooled" predicts, and exactly what a resemblance-only account cannot explain.
- Plasticine replicas lack smell and movement, and attract predators that a real snake might not.
- Attack marks identify a predator class at best, not a species.
- One mimic–model pair in one region.
Putting fake snakes where the real venomous one does not live
A harmless kingsnake is ringed like a venomous coral snake. Does the resemblance protect it — and does it need the coral snake to be there?
What this study is used for on NatureHQ
One study can inform several subjects. Here is everywhere this one is cited.
Published by: Nature PortfolioPublished in a Nature Portfolio journal.
This reference was resolved automatically against Crossref on 2026-08-11.
NatureHQ summarises research in its own words and does not reproduce published text. Reviewed 2026-08-10.