Gongylidia

Gongylidia

Gongylidia

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.

French depiction of gongylidia and staphylae in different sizes.

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

  1. [1]
    Raupp, Michael J. (February 12, 2007). "Bug of the Week". Archived from the original on 2011-07-20. Retrieved 2019-12-31.
  2. [2]
    Gover, D.W. "Fungal Agriculture and Engineering in Ants" (PDF).
  3. [3]
    Currie, Cameron R. (October 2001). "A community of Ants, Fungi, and Bacteria: A Multilateral Approach to Studying Symbiosis" (PDF). Annual Review of Microbiology. 55 (1): 357–380. doi:10.1146/annurev.micro.55.1.357. hdl:1808/835. PMID 11544360. Retrieved 2021-01-14.
  4. [4]
    "Integrative Biology" (PDF). Biosci.utexas.edu. Retrieved 2015-11-06.


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