The parasite killer fungus causes the ants to die slowly in pain

The killer fungus controls the jaw muscles of ants before manipulating the animal to insert the jaw into the trunk or leaves of the plant and die slowly in pain.

Previous studies have confirmed that killer fungi or fungi that control brain ants and control nerve functions turn ants into zombies. Specifically, when entering the host body, fungi use chemicals that specifically control ant behavior. Mushrooms "order" to force ants to leave the flock and bite through the underside of a leaf.

By the end of life, ants still plugged their jaws into the leaf body. Finally, the killer mushroom will produce a long stalk, pierce the ant's head and protrude, starting to spore spores to hunt other prey, in addition to growing smaller stalks in the body parts, including the foot and lower leg joints of ants.

The vesicles grow like bunches of grapes clinging to the muscle fibers of ants.(Photo: Alamy).

However, a recent study published in Experimental Biology shows that this fungus does not invade the brain of ants.

Biologist Colleen Mangold brought the carpenter ants to the Hughes laboratory to observe and detect the jaw muscles of the swollen ants. After that, the killer killed these muscles, causing them to shrink without being able to straighten back, but did not affect the muscle communication system.

Mr. Mangold and his colleagues still cannot explain the reason why this killer fungus can force ants to bite into the trunk or leaves until they die, but they suspect that this last movement is related to the Small seeds look like bunches of grapes clinging to muscle fibers after ants are infected with fungi. However, it is not clear whether these small particles are produced by the fungus or emitted by the body of ants themselves.

This killer fungus is mainly found in tropical forests of Thailand, Brazil, Central America and Africa. They are not only parasitic on ants but also in many other plants. Despite the nature of death, the assassins of assassin fungi are beneficial for ecological diversity because they reduce the ability of some organisms to monopolize the forest.

1. Survival of parasitic fungus Ophiocordyceps unilateralis
2. Mushrooms turn ants into zombies to control ants, to kill ants around the nest