Scientists have recently discovered a mushroom preserved in a 50 million-year-old piece of amber… growing out of an ant’s bum!
The significant finding, published in the journal Fungal Biology, is the first of its kind. It represents not only a new genus and species of fungus; it’s also the oldest known example of a fungus parasite in an ant!
The ant itself is thought to be a carpenter ant, found in Europe’s Baltic region. Meanwhile, the fungus has since been named Allocordyceps Baltica – or ‘buttshroom’ for short. (Not actually, but we like the name, hehe!)
Although the mushroom can be seen emerging from the poor ant’s rectum, this is only part of the fungus – the reproductive part.
The rest of the parasite, the vegetative parts, can be found in the ant’s abdomen and neck — poor little guy.
Maybe it’s like that zombie ants where the fungus takes over their body? The cicada fungus takes over THEIR butts and causes CHAOS….
(I did read the article, and I’m too stunned to do much of anything other than be silly about it…)
— Chloe (@1JunkYardDawg) May 25, 2021
Sadly, this phenomenon isn’t massively new for science. Author George Poinar, emeritus professor of integrative biology at Oregan State University, gave us a little clarity:
“Ants are hosts to a number of intriguing parasites, some of which modify the insect’s behaviour to benefit the parasite’s development and dispersion. Ants of the tribe Cammpontini, commonly known as carpenter ants,” – that’s our little guy! – “seem especially susceptible to fungal pathogens of the genus Ophiocordyceps, including one species that compels infects ants to bit into various erect plant parts just before they die.”
Ant Butt Mushroom will be the death of us all.
— Jay (Lorg) (@Lorg_) June 29, 2021
This process known as ‘zombie fungus’ is pretty darn tactful for the parasite, as it basically gets the ant to lift it over to a location that is ideal for spore dispersal.
However, the difference between this general process and our buttshroom is its choice to exit from the body.
Ophiocordyceps usually erupts from the neck or head of its host (geez!), but this fungus over here went for, well, the butt.
Nice!
