Introduction

AbstractThis chapter focuses on the historical development of ideas about mimicry, including the discovery of floral mimicry, and provides an overview of the key concepts in mimicry research. It defines terms used in mimicry as used throughout the book. The mimicry concepts described include adaptive resemblance, cognitive misclassification of mimics by operators, the differences between convergent and advergent evolution, and the roles of honest signals and reliable cues in model organisms. This chapter also clarifies concepts relating to imperfect and accurate mimicry, as well as frequency dependence. The applicability of the concepts of Batesian and Müllerian mimicry to pollination systems is discussed.