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Ophiocordyceps unilateralis, commonly known as zombie-ant fungus, [2] is an insect-pathogenic fungus, discovered by the British naturalist Alfred Russel Wallace in 1859, Zombie ants, infected by the Ophiocordyceps unilateralis fungus, are predominantly found in tropical rainforests.
The fungus Escovopsis is a parasite in fungus-growing ant colonies that can greatly harm the fungal gardens through infection, [22] and the bacterium Pseudonocardia has a mutualistic relationship with ants. The relationship is thought to have been used by the ants for millions of years, co-evolving to produce the right type of antibiotics.
[6] [7] [8] To accomplish this, infected ants are stripped of their instinctive fear of heights, and leaving the relative safety of their nests, climb up the nearest plant—a syndrome known as "summit disease". [9] The ant clamps it jaws around the plant in a "death grip" and following, mycelia grow from the ant's feet and stitch them to the ...
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Fungus-growing ants (tribe Attini) comprise all the known fungus-growing ant species participating in ant–fungus mutualism. They are known for cutting grasses and leaves, carrying them to their colonies' nests, and using them to grow fungus on which they later feed. Their farming habits typically have large effects on their surrounding ecosystem.
Cordyceps / ˈ k ɔːr d ɪ s ɛ p s / is a genus of ascomycete fungi (sac fungi) that includes over 260 species worldwide, many of which are parasitic. Diverse variants of cordyceps have had more than 1,500 years of use in Chinese medicine. [1]
Minims protect the fungus, diligently keeping out pests and watching for disease or mold. If an ant discovers mold in the fungus farm, they use a unique bacterium as a natural pesticide.
The ant fungus, the cordyceps that affect ants, coerces them to climb to a high perch. ... So the spores then land on the other ants. We call that a summit disease because the infected individuals ...