Plant crypsis, aposematism, and mimicry

This chapter discusses the protective mechanism of plants against herbivores, and its similarity to the protective mechanism of prey animals against predators. Three protective traits of animals — crypsis, aposematism, and mimicry — are used as an anchor of comparison for the defensive mechanism of plants. The crypsis is a defensive trait that lessens the noticeability of bearer by antagonists. Animal species that have very strong defences against predators often do not perform crypsis, but raise their defences by way of conspicuous signals. The simultaneous use of defence and signal is called aposematism. Many plants have potent aposematic defences against herbivores. Furthermore, mimicry in plants are mainly involves the attraction of mutualists. This is in contrast with animal mimicry which focuses on than repulsion of antagonists.