What is the difference in the use of mimicry between katydids and crab spiders?

Prepare for the PSAT/NMSQT Exam. Use flashcards and multiple choice questions, each question includes hints and explanations. Get ready to ace your test!

Multiple Choice

What is the difference in the use of mimicry between katydids and crab spiders?

Explanation:
Mimicry is a pattern of resemblance that helps an organism either avoid being noticed or catch prey. Katydids often imitate leaves or twigs, staying very still so they blend into the foliage. This camouflage mainly serves to protect them by making predators fail to notice them. Crab spiders, by contrast, blend in with flowers, which lets them lie in wait for visiting pollinators. Their mimicry is used to capture prey rather than to avoid predators. So the difference is that katydids use mimicry to hide from predators, while crab spiders use it to ambush prey. The other ideas don’t fit because katydids aren’t primarily using mimicry to ambush prey, and crab spiders aren’t mainly hiding from predators; they’re using camouflage to prey on visitors.

Mimicry is a pattern of resemblance that helps an organism either avoid being noticed or catch prey. Katydids often imitate leaves or twigs, staying very still so they blend into the foliage. This camouflage mainly serves to protect them by making predators fail to notice them.

Crab spiders, by contrast, blend in with flowers, which lets them lie in wait for visiting pollinators. Their mimicry is used to capture prey rather than to avoid predators.

So the difference is that katydids use mimicry to hide from predators, while crab spiders use it to ambush prey. The other ideas don’t fit because katydids aren’t primarily using mimicry to ambush prey, and crab spiders aren’t mainly hiding from predators; they’re using camouflage to prey on visitors.

Subscribe

Get the latest from Examzify

You can unsubscribe at any time. Read our privacy policy