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Viper as a Batesian Model – its Role in an Ecological Community

Biosemiotics volume 12, pages 25–38 (2019)Cite this article

Abstract

Appearance of Old world vipers of genus Vipera serves various purposes including crypsis and aposematism. Recent research showed that the zigzag pattern represents strong signal to predators to avoid vipers as a prey. It is also possible that vipers function within ecological community as Batesian model for numerous mimics, including other reptiles, birds, and invertebrates. It is then showed that Batesian models need to have prominent features to sustain the mimicry system. The main modulation of this system is presented here as iconicity. Iconicity is treated as quantitative variable resulting from open dynamic process with multiple inputs, also including iconicity of previous states of system. Batesian mimicry is based on mimics adopting the iconicity of the model. It is an example of ecological facilitation, and as such, it is part of niche construction. Since Batesian mimicry is based on semiotic processes, it is a special case of ecological facilitation, namely semiotic facilitation.

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Acknowledgements

Work is part of the research goal VaV10/300/PM DKRVO 2017/05 of Czech Ministry of Culture. I would like to dedicate this work to Kristýna Eliášová.

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  1. Department of Philosophy and History of Science, Faculty of Science, Charles University, Viničná 7, 128 43, Praha 2, Czech Republic

    Jindřich Brejcha

  2. Department of Zoology, Natural History Museum, National Museum, Václavské náměstí 1700/68, 110 00, Praha 1, Czech Republic

    Jindřich Brejcha

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Brejcha, J. Viper as a Batesian Model – its Role in an Ecological Community. Biosemiotics 12, 25–38 (2019). https://doi.org/10.1007/s12304-019-09347-x

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