Posted by Corso on November 7, 2009, 2:54 pm
88.149.162.173

I ran into this site by chance, and I thought it might have interested you... here is the description translated by me :3 there are other images if you click on this one, if you wish I can traslate the others as well ^^ Ants belonging to the species Camponotus leonardi whitch are infected by a kind of mushroom (Ophiocordyceps unilateralis) move commanded by the parasite. Usually these ants can be found on the top of tropical trees but once infected they move toward the lower leaves, stopping right in the place which is best for the mushroom growth (which needs specific heat height and direction). Once they get to destination, ants bite a vein of the leaf: the "bite of death". Ants die because their internal parts are metabolyzed by the mushroom they got inside. In the end, the invader get out from the body of the host and releases its spores which get to the ground, creating a death carpet for any other ant which crosses it. Corso. Sharky said so =P

Posted by Corso on November 7, 2009, 3:00 pm, in reply to "[OT?] parasites curiosity"
88.149.162.173

This is the site :3 http://lescienze.espresso.repubblica.it/multimedia/home/18286243/1/2 Corso. Sharky said so =P

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Posted by sharky on November 7, 2009, 5:52 pm, in reply to "[OT?] parasites curiosity"
138.88.43.37

ohhhhhhhh... way cool stuff. Unless you are a ant (or uncle) of course

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Posted by Corso on November 7, 2009, 6:32 pm, in reply to "Re: [OT?] parasites curiosity"
88.149.162.173

beside fishy puns (which should be illegal in most countries) here another one. Ants do their best to avoid being eaten. Their dark coloring can help them camouflaging with the environment and can prevent a predator to spot a single one among the others. But for a parasite searching for a way to return inside a hosting bird, this kind of camouflage needs few fixes. The nematode parasite Myrmeconema neotropicum makes a portion of the belly of the Cephalotes atratus ants red like some berries which are eaten by birds and pushes the infected host to leave the colony, so that can become an easy prey. When the victim is eaten by the bird, this one becomes infected by the parasite. After digestion, the bird spread the parasite in its excrement, which wait to infect more oblivious ants. Corso. Sharky said so =P

Posted by sylis1232 on November 9, 2009, 1:02 am, in reply to "[OT?] parasites curiosity"
96.248.135.233

omg its the flood!

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Posted by sylis1232 on November 9, 2009, 1:10 am, in reply to "[OT?] parasites curiosity"
96.248.135.233

its the flood!

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