The fruiting body of a fungi growing out of the ant's head
We usually think of a ‘zombie’ as something that has had its body taken over and is no longer in control of their movements or behavior. Although this is usually something of horror films, there is a real life example being found around the world. It is an example of parasitism, and in this case the parasite is a fungus and the host is an ant.
Fungi have some obstacles to overcome when it comes to reproduction. Often times they will use wind or water to help spread their spores to new areas, but what if you live on the floor of a dense forest, where travel by either wind or water don’t work very well? A few species of fungi have found a means of transportation in the ants that continually walk around the forest in the search for food.
The first species of fungus, Ophiocordyceps unilateralis, that takes over an ant’s body was discovered in 1865. These types of fungi exist all over the world, and four new species have recently been discovered. These fungi first infect an ant when an ant walks by and picks up some of the spores. The ant goes about its regular activities for a few days, but then the fungi takes over and the ant is now a ‘zombie ant’. Once this happens, the ant can no longer follow the regular trails the other ants use to travel to the colony, but it walks haphazardly in zig zag lines and often suffers from convulsions.
The convulsions are all part of the fungi’s plan. The ant eventually falls from its home in the canopy of the tree to the forest floor, which is a much better environment for the fungi to spread its spores because it’s cooler and has more moisture. Once on the forest floor, the ant crawls to a leaf about 9-10 inches above the soil and takes its final ‘death grip’. To take the death grip, the ant clamps its jaws onto one of the larger veins on the bottom of a leaf and never lets go. The ant can’t let go. The fungus causes the muscles in its jaw to deteriorate and detach so that the ant can no longer open its jaws.
Eventually the ant dies while remaining clamped onto the leaf, and the fungus completes its task of releasing the spores. The sprouting body of the fungi grows up out of the top of the ant’s head and the spores fall to the forest floor, lying in wait for another ant to walk by and unknowingly become another ‘zombie ant’ to repeat the life cycle of the fungi.
Scientists hope to continue research into these unique fungi in the hopes of developing biological insecticides that could control the populations of specific insect pests. This could also lead to more studies of how organisms have evolved to control the behavior of other organisms in different kingdoms.
What could be some issues with using parasitic fungi to control insect populations? How else could research into these parasitic relationships be beneficial for us? What are other examples of parasites taking over their host completely, including mind and body?
I just have one question would this parasite infect cells on your body and then take over your body? Then there will be actual zombies walking around. Also don’t ants live under ground not a tree? I would love to see a video on how this happens and how did this parasite come into the world? Another question I have is what is that long stick like thing coming out of it this fungi could probably take over the world and all living things could be extinct and earth will just be another planet. http://news.nationalgeographic.com/news/2012/05/120504-zombie-ant-fungus-science-environment-rainforest/
I have always been fascinated with topics like this one. Although, I never really thought that a fungi can take over a ants mind like that and make it commit suicide. its also amazing how it becomes a stalk of pure death if you think about it. if another organism walks by it will pick up the spores and die like ant in a matter of days I now wonder that if a fungus can do this to a ant, could it also do this to another type of species like a human being for instance? Also, there have been many more reports about these incidents with the fungi. I learned that the fungi also affects other insects like the common house, wasp, and cricket. This carries me to think back to my question that if this happens to a ant, would it happen to a human being. I wonder… There is a link below that will bring you to a page with more information.
http://news.nationalgeographic.com/news/2011/03/pictures/110303-zombie-ants-fungus-new-species-fungi-bugs-science-brazil/#/zombie-fungus-infects-insects-mind-control-cricket_32851_600x450.jpg
I thought this topic was very interesting, with how a fungus could actually control a ant and use its body to grow out of. This blog was also very well typed, but there was no tab in at the begiining of the paragraphs. To add to this blog, They have found an unnamed fungus that keeps the zombie ant fungus or “Ophiocordyceps” in check. The fungus killing fungus chemically castrates its zombie making cousin, “said scientist David Hughes”. His team’s analyses show that only 6.5 percent of the zombie ants spores actually survive to be spread. http://news.nationalgeographic.com/news/2012/05/120504-zombie-ant-fungus-science-environment-rainforest/#
I find this very interesting that a fungi has the ability to take over and control and insect. I find it amazing that the fungi adapted a way to spread its spores through insects. I don’t believe that using fungi would be a reliable and cost sufficient insecticide. Often times our insecticides has effects on other insects even when it is supposed to only affect the target insect. But otherwise I find this information very interesting and plan on doing some research on this topic!!
Using parasitic fungi to control insect populations could cause reporcussions by over-exterminating, thus affecting the food chain. It could also transfer to other species by consumption or spreading by other means(air, water, etc.) causing more over-exterminating and disrupting the food chain and so on. Research of these fungi could help us understand these invasive organisms and learn how to stop them. Mad cow disease is another example of a bacteria taking over of the mind and body of a host species.
I thought this was an intresting topic. I think this fungi could be very dangerous to living creatures. If the fungi can control ants now they may adapt and start controlling larger animals and insects. If that happens the fungi could keep spreading and infecting more animals. When the fungi is inside of the ant it turns the insides into sugar that helps the fungi grow. But it leaves the muscles intact so the ant can still do want the fungi wants. Ants appearently have little to none defence against fungi. Good resource for this topic:
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/08/090811161345.htm
I have always been interested in ants. The fact that fungus kills ant is amazing but not surprising. The reason I find it so amazing is because nocturnal ants live off of fungus. Few animals are able to live off of fungus and these little ants have been able to use this fungus for almost everything. Nocturnal ants had to first develop the ability to digest fungus. And if these ants can adapt then shouldn’t all the other ants be able to?
http://www.scientificamerican.com/article.cfm?id=mushroom-munching-ants-a-first-among-arthropods
I beleive that this topic is very interesting; because of how the fungi takes control of the ant’s body and controls it just like a ‘zombie’.I also beleive that it is interesting to know that another type of fungi has adapted to grow a secondary spore out of the ant. So instead of just one fungi tower, there are two. Also these fungi are found mostly in the Amazon rainforest in South America but, they are also spotted in Australia, in the tropical regions.
Another good resource:
http://news.discovery.com/animals/zombie-ants-fungus-amazon-110303.html