Biology:Gongylidia
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Short description: Swellings of fungus cultivated by fungus-growing ants
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]
Photograph of gongylidia (G) and staphylae (S) in a fungal garden taken care of by Acromyrmex echinatior.
See also
References
- ↑ Raupp, Michael J. (February 12, 2007). "Bug of the Week". http://raupplab.umd.edu/raupplab_java/bow-reader.jsp?%2Fwt%2Fraupplab%2Fbugweek%2Farchive%2FBugOfWeek_07B.html.
- ↑ Gover, D.W.. "Fungal Agriculture and Engineering in Ants". http://www.sydneyfungalstudies.org.au/resources/Articles/FUNGAL%20AGRICULTURE%20AND%20ENGINEERING%20IN%20ANTS.pdf.
- ↑ Currie, Cameron R. (October 2001). "A community of Ants, Fungi, and Bacteria: A Multilateral Approach to Studying Symbiosis". Annual Review of Microbiology 55 (1): 357–380. doi:10.1146/annurev.micro.55.1.357. PMID 11544360. https://kuscholarworks.ku.edu/bitstream/handle/1808/835/annurev.micro.55.1.pdf?sequence=1&isAllowed=y. Retrieved 2021-01-14.
- ↑ "Integrative Biology". Biosci.utexas.edu. http://www.biosci.utexas.edu/ib/faculty/mueller/pubs/resolve.pdf. Retrieved 2015-11-06.
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