Context:
Recently, a field researcher found a dead tarantula that was infected by zombie fungus.
Zombie Fungus:
- A parasitic fungus that primarily infects carpenter ants
- Habitat – Predominantly found in tropical forest ecosystems.
- Impact – The fungus can devastate ant colonies but is also susceptible to fungal infections itself.
Description and Life Cycle of the Fungus:
- Infection – The fungus begins its life cycle as a spore on the forest floor.
- When a spore attaches to a passing ant, it germinates and breaches the ant’s exoskeleton.
- Behaviour Manipulation – Once inside, the fungus grows and manipulates the ant’s behaviour.
- The fungus’s ability to control the ant’s behavior is what gives it the “zombie” nature.
- The infected ant leaves its nest and climbs vegetation, where it locks its mandibles onto a leaf or twig.
- Death and Spore Release – The fungus eventually kills the ant and grows a stalk from the ant’s head, releasing spores to infect other ants.
- Due to its unique properties, the fungus has garnered interest for potential applications in medicine, including antibacterial and anticancer agents.
Source: CNN
Previous Year Question
With reference to “Gucchi” sometimes mentioned in the news, consider the following statements:
1. It is a fungus.
2. It grows in some Himalayan forest areas.
3. It is commercially cultivated in the Himalayan foothills of north-eastern India.
Which of the statements given above is/are correct?
[UPSC Civil Services Exam – 2022 Prelims]
(a) 1 only
(b) 3 only
(c) 1 and 2
(d) 2 and 3
Answer: (c)
Explanation:
Statement 3 is not correct:
Gucchi mushrooms cannot be cultivated commercially and instead they grow wild only in some regions of Jammu and Kashmir and Himachal Pradesh after the snowfall period.
