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What's really interesting about O. unilateralis is that it doesn't take over the host's brain, and instead controls the muscles directly: https://www.nationalge
by vore 6y ago
What's really interesting about O. unilateralis is that it doesn't take over the host's brain, and instead controls the muscles directly: https://www.nationalgeographic.com/animals/2019/04/cordyceps-zombie-fungus-takes-over-ants/ https://www.nationalgeographic.com/animals/2019/04/cordyceps...
Using a type of fluorescent microscopy, researchers from Pennsylvania State University watched fungal colonization in ants from the gaster, the rear end of the abdomen, to the head—and found no trace of fungal cells in the brain. They coupled that information with computer algorithms to chart the movement of fungi as they formed a sort of tubular scaffolding within and around ants’ muscle bundles.
This suggests the fungus casts its mind control through bioactive compounds that interfere with the ant’s nervous system and control hosts directly at the muscles, de Bekker says.
- saberdancer 6y agoHow would the fungus control the ant where he goes, attaching to a major vein on the underside of a leaf seems to either imply that the ant (brain) is affected to make the ant move to that location, or that fungus is capable of interpreting environment which seems quite unlikely. I find it far more likely that the full effect is quite complex, perhaps the fungus is able to create chemical "urges" in the ant which force him to leave the colony and go for undersides of the leaves, only to overwhelm the ant completely by controlling the muscles directly once it is in position to lock his mandibles on the leave until death.
- vmception 6y agoYeah I really wonder about the possibilities, like are there a bunch more infected ants that never make it to the underside of the leaf or branch? Or is this fungi and symbiotic relationship really that .... intelligent ... in some capacity?
- muzani 6y agoThat's a whole new level of horror, where your body does things and starts decaying and your brain can't control it.