Which animal is an example of mimicry used to ambush prey?

• A. Katydids
• B. Mantises
• C. Dolphins
• D. Crab spiders

Answer: (D)

Predators sometimes use mimicry to lure prey rather than just blend in. Crab spiders commonly imitate flowers by matching their color and shape to the blooms they sit on. Pollinators approach flowers for nectar, not suspecting a waiting predator, so the spider can grab them in a swift ambush. This use of resemblance to a familiar, enticing object to draw prey in is a clear example of mimicry used to ambush prey.

Katydids and mantises rely on camouflage to hide or to surprise prey, but they aren’t typically using mimicry to lure prey the way crab spiders do. Dolphins rely on speed and echolocation rather than mimicry for ambushing prey.