Poll is up for choosing the design for the bookmark!
Here's some deets on the featured mimics!
Peruvian Shield Mantis (Choeradodis rhombicollis): A mantis with leaf-like pronotum and wings. It pretends to be a leaf to ambush unsuspecting insects!
Northern Pygmy Owl (Glaucidium californicum): A small owl with eyespots on the back of its head. The fake eyes fool predators into thinking that the owl is staring right at them, preventing sneak attacks!
Dragon Flower Mantis (Toxodera integrifolia): A stunningly-colored and strangely-shaped mantis. It mimics a long, tubular flower found in the tropical rainforests it inhabits!
Eastern Coral Snake (Micrurus fulvius) & Scarlet Kingsnake (Lampropeltis elapsoides): The coral snake is the venomous model, and the kingsnake is the non-venomous mimic. Most animals don't want to find out the hard way which is which.
Monarch Butterfly (Danaus plexippus) & Viceroy Butterfly (Limenitis archippus): Once considered a Batesian mimic of the monarch, more recent research discovered that birds also find viceroy butterflies distasteful. Now monarchs and viceroy butterflies are considered Müllerian mimics!
Red Spotted Nudibranchs (Chromodoris species): Multiple species of chromodorid nudibranchs in Australia are Müllerian mimics of each other, all taking on a similar pattern of white with red spots as a warning of their toxicity.
First place becomes the bookmark design, but if we hit our stretch goal of $2500, the second place design will be available as an alternate option!
