aggressive mimicry
Scientific-
A form of mimicry in which a predator (the mimic) closely resembles another organism (the model) that is attractive to a third organism (the dupe) on which the mimic preys. The anglerfish is an example of aggressive mimicry, having a modified dorsal spine that mimics a worm or small shrimp and serves as a lure to attract its prey.
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Compare Batesian mimicry Müllerian mimicry
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
By then, if you are not a fan, you may feel worn out by the aggressive mimicry of the K-pop performance style, not just in the mostly electronic arrangements but also in the minutely detailed choreography by Jennifer Weber, the squint-inducing lighting by Jiyoun Chang and the hundreds of can-you-top-this costumes by Clint Ramos and Sophia Choi.
From New York Times
According to a study published last month in Current Zoology, the spider’s fecal facade attracts prey at the same time it wards off predators — the first masquerading species described to use what researchers call aggressive mimicry to actively lure in their lunch.
From New York Times
"Evidence suggests that it may have exploited aggressive mimicry in a striking parallel to the feeding patterns of modern piranha."
From Fox News
The scientists think P. pinnatomus might have used “aggressive mimicry” the way modern-day piranhas do—even though they belong to a different branch of the fish family tree.
From Science Magazine
But all of these fish have appendages that can glow with bioluminescence, and G. bonplandi does not, so this squid has to be a little bit more creative for its aggressive mimicry technique to work.
From Scientific American
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