Allocordyceps Explained

Allocordyceps is a genus of parasitic fungus in the order Hypocreales that parasitizes carpenter ants.[1] [2] The fossil of Allocordyceps represents the oldest known fossil of an ant-parasitizing fungus before Ophiocordyceps. The only species within this genus is Allocordyceps baltica.[3] [4]

Description

Allocordyceps is characterized by its ascoma being an orange color, stalked and cusp shaped. It also has a pair of partially immersed perithecia that emerges from its rectum. When parasitized by Allocordyceps, separate stromata with separate mycelium emerge from a carpenter ant's neck and abdomen.

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Carpenter Ants Management Guidelines--UC IPM . 2023-10-25 . ipm.ucanr.edu.
  2. Web site: Camponotus - an overview ScienceDirect Topics . 2023-10-25 . www.sciencedirect.com.
  3. Web site: 2019-04-18 . How a parasitic fungus turns ants into 'zombies' . https://web.archive.org/web/20210221045148/https://www.nationalgeographic.com/animals/article/cordyceps-zombie-fungus-takes-over-ants . dead . February 21, 2021 . 2023-10-25 . Animals . en.
  4. Poinar . George . Maltier . Yves-Marie . 2021-11-01 . Allocordyceps baltica gen. et sp. nov. (Hypocreales: Clavicipitaceae), an ancient fungal parasite of an ant in Baltic amber . Fungal Biology . 125 . 11 . 886–890 . 10.1016/j.funbio.2021.06.002 . 1878-6146.

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