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I believe the other ants recognize that the individual is infected and forcibly dispel her from the colony, which is a defense mechanism the ants likely evolved
by openasocket 9y ago
I believe the other ants recognize that the individual is infected and forcibly dispel her from the colony, which is a defense mechanism the ants likely evolved. At least that's what's portrayed in the Planet Earth documentary, which spends a few minutes focusing on this fungus. The fungus could have evolved to be more sneaky so the ants wouldn't recognize the infection until it was too late, but I imagine it's easier to just have the ant go somewhere high up instead.
It certainly can look like a co-evolved compromise, though it formed through two competing species. I think what you're getting at is the https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Red_Queen_hypothesis https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Red_Queen_hypothesis
- ajuc 9y agoInteresting. I meant maybe the "code" to go far from anthill is in all ants, but only activates (by "design") in sick ones. if (sick) goAway(); Seems like a pretty sensible behavior to evolve in social insect. And fungus just make them stop by destroying the correct muscles. EDIT: and there's also another fungus, that makes the parasitic fungus sterile, so the fungus want to be spread away. https://phys.org/news/2012-05-zombie-ant-fungus-reveals.html#nRlv https://phys.org/news/2012-05-zombie-ant-fungus-reveals.html... Damn biology is complicated :) EDIT2: and they've checked and the fungus can't grow in the anthill for some reason.
- pvg 9y agoSeems like a pretty sensible behavior to evolve in social insect. The more reliable mechanism is the one that evolved - other insects decide who gets to stay and who has to be removed.