L'empreinte du chien noir
Texts with a bite!
The Zombie Ant
Source : ChatGPT
La fourmi qui se laissait faire...ou pas!
If you're a fan of the series The Last of Us, you're in for a treat, since the ant pictured here is completely possessed by the fungus that inspired the hit Netflix series. But let's take a closer look at what makes it so special.😎
Housing
The zombie ant chooses to live in a tropical ecosystem, whether in South America or Southeast Asia.
What is a zombie ant?
Let's clear up a misconception right off the bat. It's not so much the ant that's unique, but the fungus that chooses to dominate it. Yes! Yes! Who would have thought that a "hat-wearing" creature could rule the ant world? 😏😅😱
Its common name is Ophiocordyceps unilateralis , and it shows no mercy. When something dies, it dies.😈
The parasitic fungus begins by infecting the ant with a spore. This spore penetrates the ant's exoskeleton before taking control of its behavior and causing it to climb to a higher elevation to find the temperature and humidity necessary for the fungus to grow.😲
As it climbs, the fungus will begin to grow inside the tiny creature. It will cause the ant to climb onto a plant called "death grip" and bite it. As a result, death will be quick to welcome it with open arms. Finally, the fungus will grow through its head and continue the process by spreading more spores.😖
Behavioral Control
If we take a closer look at the process the fungus goes through, it reveals just how devious it is once it takes control🤮:
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Disorient the target
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Make him leave the colony
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To make it climb higher
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Trigger a contraction of the mandibles upon death
***It is the strength of the mushroom's grip that causes the contraction to persist. So it remains attached to the plant or tree, even after it dies***
Did you know that...
Some ants in the colony even go so far as to drive their infected fellow ants away from the nest, eventually creating a "graveyard" of zombie ants. By doing so, the population is regulated for the good of the colony.💀😱😮🥺
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Q&A
1. Is it dangerous to humans?
No. This fungus is specific to insects.
2. Does the ant feel pain?
Pain cannot be measured precisely, but it is gradually brought under control.
3. Does the mushroom control the brain?
Not directly, like in the movies. It works through chemicals that affect the nervous system.
4. Why is the ant climbing?
The height ensures ideal humidity and temperature conditions for the mushroom to grow.
5. Are there any other manipulative parasites?
Yes. Some worms, protozoa, and viruses also alter animal behavior.
6. Are there several species of zombie mushrooms?
Yes. There are several species in the genus Ophiocordyceps, each of which targets specific hosts.
***Q&A from ChatGPT***
Sources
Andersen, S. B., Gerritsma, S., Yusah, K. M., Mayntz, D., Hywel-Jones, N. L., Billen, J., Boomsma, J. J., & Hughes, D. P. (2009). The life of a dead ant: The expression of an adaptive extended phenotype. The American Naturalist, 174(3), 424–433. https://doi.org/10.1086/603640
Evans, H. C., Elliot, S. L., & Hughes, D. P. (2011). Hidden diversity behind the zombie-ant fungus Ophiocordyceps unilateralis: Four new species described from Carpenter ants in Minas Gerais, Brazil. PLoS ONE, 6(3), e17024. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0017024
Fredericksen, M. A., Zhang, Y., Hazen, M. L., Loreto, R. G., Mangold, C. A., Chen, D. Z., & Hughes, D. P. (2017). Three-dimensional visualization and a deep-learning model reveal complex fungal parasite networks in behaviorally manipulated ants. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, 114(47), 12590–12595. https://doi.org/10.1073/pnas.1711673114
Hughes, D. P., Andersen, S. B., Hywel-Jones, N. L., Himaman, W., Billen, J., & Boomsma, J. J. (2011). Behavioral mechanisms and morphological symptoms of zombie ants dying from fungal infection. BMC Ecology, 11(13). https://doi.org/10.1186/1472-6785-11-13
Loreto, R. G., & Hughes, D. P. (2019). The zombie-ant fungus Ophiocordyceps unilateralis (sensu lato): Insights into host manipulation and coevolution. Current Opinion in Insect Science, 34, 1–7. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cois.2019.02.003