Zombie ants controlled by fungus

[Omniyoji]

Zombie ants controlled by fungus - LiveScience- msnbc.com

In a bizarre parasitic death sentence, a fungus turns carpenter ants into the walking dead and gets them to die in a spot that's perfect for the fungus to grow and reproduce.

Scientists have no clue how the fungus takes control of the brains of ants so effectively. But a new study in the September issue of the American Naturalist reveals an incredible set of strategies that ensue.

The carpenter ants nest high in the canopy of a forest in Thailand, and they trek to the forest floor to forage. The fungus, Ophiocordyceps unilateralis, prefers to end up on the undersides leaves sprouting from the northwest side of plants that grow on the forest floor, the new study showed. That's where temperature, humidity and sunlight are ideal for the fungus to grow and reproduce and infect more ants.

Once infected by the fungus, an ant is compelled to climb down from the canopy to the low leaves, where it clamps down with its mandibles just before it dies.

"The fungus accurately manipulates the infected ants into dying where the parasite prefers to be, by making the ants travel a long way during the last hours of their lives," said study leader David P. Hughes of Harvard University.

After the ant dies, the fungus continues to grow inside it. By dissecting victims, Hughes and colleagues found that the parasite converts the ant's innards into sugars that help the fungus grow. But it leaves the muscles controlling the mandibles intact to make sure the ant keeps its death grip on the leaf.

The fungus also preserves the ant's outer shell, growing into cracks and crevices to reinforce weak spots, thereby fashioning a protective coating that keeps microbes and other fungi out.

"The fungus has evolved a suite of novel strategies to retain possession of its precious resource," Hughes said.

After a week or two, spores from the fungus fall to the forest floor, where other ants can be infected.

Making nests in the forest canopy might be an evolved ant strategy to avoid infection, Hughes figures. The ants also seem to avoid foraging under infected areas. This too might be an adaptive strategy to avoid infection, but more study is needed to confirm it, he said.

How the fungus controls ant behavior remains unknown. "That is another research area we are actively pursuing right now," Hughes said.

© 2009 LiveScience.com. All rights reserved.

How people discover things like this is amazing... or maybe someone wondered why thousands of ants died clung to leafs.

[Mizango]

Yeah I remember doing a project on this particular fungus in my Biology 3 class when I was in college. If you've never seen shows or clips of the zombie ants it is simply awesome.

[Stiker]

Ok this is seriously the coolest thing I've read in a long time. Pure awesome.

[Olo401]

Heard about this a couple months ago.. science r some crazy sheeit!

[Amarok]

Must get mind control fungus

[Yuri-G]

so if we could somehow train a funguar into the Altepa desert... hmm...

[Kaisha]

Not much longer now.
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v6.../brainslug.jpg

[Priran]

http://img44.imageshack.us/img44/861/1230580124100.gif
http://img194.imageshack.us/img194/1...0580153340.gif
http://img32.imageshack.us/img32/150/1230580224072.gif

[Olo401]

That was deep, brah.

[Priran]

hell yeah brah I loves me the pokeymans

[zoobernut]

Animal Parasites | Science World | Find Articles at BNET

Ants also get controlled by brain flukes. This fluke causes the ant to climb up to the tip of the grass and clamp down with its jaws and wait to be eaten by the cow so the fluke can continue its life cycle in the cow.

[Neoburai]

They actually show this on Planet Earth. It's pretty hardcore. An ant will ingest the spore and a spike will grow from its head. The spike is the fungus and will grow and explode where it can infest the most other ants. If the ants even think another one is infected they will carry him as far away from the colony as possible and leave them to die.

[Vuitton]

Cat parasite may affect cultural traits in human populations

http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/new...cle1161725.ece

This article states there is a parasite cats have that infects the brains of humans and alters their personality.

It has begun!

Edit:

It looks like this parasite is also used to suppress fear in rats, making them easier prey for cats. It also seems to alter human personalities over time.

[Null]

Wonder if this is what the devs use in FFXI.

[Khamsin]

Cat parasite may affect cultural traits in human populations

Dangerrrr: cats could alter your personality - Times Online

This article states there is a parasite cats have that infects the brains of humans and alters their personality.

It has begun!

Edit:

It looks like this parasite is also used to suppress fear in rats, making them easier prey for cats. It also seems to alter human personalities over time.

According to the article, the cat parasite turns women into sex kittens. More attractive, more slutty, irresistable charm... so why isn't the typical "cat lady" some hot nympho chick with a different guy every night? Just imagine how many parasites are running around when you have 10 cats.

[Mizango]

Wonder if this is what the devs use in FFXI.

LOL

[Not Kuno]

It doesn't say how it spreads to humans though. Unless I missed it.

[Boyiee]

The Ruins, INC.

[Lee]

Man, Ants have to be the most intriguing insect there is. The fact that they are so intelligent to remove an infected really is fascinating.

[Khamsin]

Now, do the fungi stimulate motor responses in the ant, making it walk or bite, or does it simply plant the idea and make it want to walk away and bite a leaf?

Perhaps one day we can decode the genetics behind this and engineer our own airborne spore that influences people to do things or alter their personality like with the cats.

Would have great applications in war, to control without killing, or voluntarily committed psychiatric patients who want a personality change.