Gongylidia Explained

Gongylidia (singular gongylidium) are hyphal swellings of fungus cultivated by higher-attine genera of fungus-growing ants. This fungus no longer exists naturally outside the ant colonies.

Developing larvae feed on the gongylidia and distributed throughout the colony to feed workers, soldiers, and the queen.^[1] They are ellipsoid, about 30-50 micrometres in diameter,^[2] rich in lipids and carbohydrates derived from the leaves,^[3] and are produced in clusters (called staphylae).^[4]

See also

• Pearl body
• Leucoagaricus gongylophorus

Notes and References

1. Web site: Raupp . Michael J. . February 12, 2007 . Bug of the Week . 2019-12-31 . https://web.archive.org/web/20110720090245/http://raupplab.umd.edu/raupplab_java/bow-reader.jsp?%2Fwt%2Fraupplab%2Fbugweek%2Farchive%2FBugOfWeek_07B.html . 2011-07-20 . dead.
2. Web site: Gover . D.W. . Fungal Agriculture and Engineering in Ants.
3. Currie . Cameron R. . A community of Ants, Fungi, and Bacteria: A Multilateral Approach to Studying Symbiosis . Annual Review of Microbiology . 55 . 1 . 357–380 . October 2001 . 10.1146/annurev.micro.55.1.357 . 11544360 . 2021-01-14 . 1808/835 . free.
4. Web site: Integrative Biology . Biosci.utexas.edu . 2015-11-06.