Parasitic zombie-ant fungus thrives in mosses, too
Summary
Scientists have discovered that a type of parasitic fungus called Cordyceps, known for infecting and controlling insects like ants, also lives inside mosses. This could be a survival strategy used by the fungus when insect hosts are scarce, showing a previously unknown life stage linked to moss environments.Key Facts
- Cordyceps fungi infect insects by spreading inside their bodies and controlling their behavior, eventually killing them.
- The fungus forces infected ants to bite onto moss or plants before they die.
- DNA tests found the same Cordyceps fungus living inside mosses near infected ants.
- This suggests the fungus may have a life stage where it lives in moss, not just insects.
- Cordyceps includes over 400 species, each targeting specific insects like ants, cockroaches, and beetles.
- Previous studies showed the fungus forms networks inside insect bodies to control muscles and behavior.
- The new research was done in the Amazon, collecting samples from ant death sites covered in moss.
- Understanding this moss stage may explain how Cordyceps survives when there are fewer insect hosts available.
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