A new study has detected genetic traces of the fungus Ophiocordyceps, known for infecting ants and turning them into so-called zombies, in mosses that serve as substrate for the insects. The research was published in the scientific journal IMA Fungus.
Scientists collected moss samples and split them into three groups: internal tissue, external tissue, and control samples gathered from nearby trails for comparison. They then checked whether the fungal strains matched or resembled those found in the infected ants.
Fungal DNA found in moss
The study confirmed a co-occurrence, meaning the fungus that attacks the ants also showed up in the moss. In some cases, including the species Ophiocordyceps camponoti-nidulantis, the fungus made up nearly 49% of the genetic sequences detected in a moss sample.
The researchers concluded the zombifying fungi leave a significant genetic trace in the environment where infected ants are found, pointing to a strong link between the fungus, the insect, and the plant it attaches to.
How zombie ants form
The study found that several of the fungus species analyzed specifically target carpenter ants of the genus Camponotus, the source of the "camponoti" name used for these fungi. Once the fungus zombifies an ant, it drives the insect to bite into a plant or moss before dying.
