Killed by Behavior-modifying Parasite Fungus

There has been a rise in our fascination in zombie fiction and movies lately. I think such tales strike a deep chord in our psyche. But for much of the animal kingdom, such tales aren't fanciful. They're an everyday occurrence.

Take this poor yellow dung fly (Scathophagia stercoraria). It's been infected by a previously unknown (yet to be described) species of Entomophthora fungus. This parasite fungus causes its host to climb up a grass blade, stick it wings out, and position itself so that its abdomen is in the air, and then die. All of this is accomplished so the fungus' spores are better dispersed.

I'm assuming that zombification (a new word?) is more readily found in the insect kingdom because their nervous systems are more easily hijacked than those of higher order animals. Nevertheless, I've purchased a large supply of fungicide, and my wife has instructions to spray me down should she find me climbing up to the roof to stick my butt in the air.

Thanks for the fantastic photo, Dave. It's entomologists like you that show us how ugly and fascinating this world can be. I'm glad to be human.

A couple of followups

Recently our fearless leader posted about the remarkable Titan Arum, also known as the Corpse Flower and remarked that although it is stinky (hence the nickname), it isn't particularly ugly in appearance.

After stumbling across this photo of the same flower about to bloom at the Huntington Gardens in California, I think we may need to reconsider:


The Huntington Gardens takes ugly seriously: this flower has its own blog: Stinky Huntington.

Also, in case you think the baby birds in my previous post are not fair representatives of baby birds the world over, check out these baby blackbirds at a wildlife hospital in Tel Aviv, Israel (from Reuters via The Telegraph):



Respectfully submitted by Wombat (No Relation)

Titan Arum

Photo source: Jo Jan/US Botanic Garden via Wikipedia
There's nothing particularly ugly about the looks of this flower. It's the infamous Corpse Flower, dubbed 'titan arum' by Sir David Attenborough. You see, he didn't want to constantly refer to its scientific name during a documentary--it wouldn't have been appropriate. The scientific name is Amorphophallus titanum, and I'll let you follow this link to find out what that means.

Why is this enormous flower (the largest non-branched example of inflorescence on the planet, measuring 10 feet in circumference) called the Corpse Flower? Because it has discovered that it attracts more carrion-eating beetles and flesh flies with the stench of rotting mammal meat than it does with sweet nectar. There's a moral in that somewhere. Ask your grandma.

Rather than emit a sweet smell, it reeks of decay to attract its pollinators, the afore mentioned flies and beetles. It's believed that even its deep purple color is meant to fool its pollinators into thinking it's dead meat.

Though native only to Sumatra, the Corpse Flower is in cultivation all over the world. It was once even the official flower of the Bronx, New York. So look for one in your next run to a botanical garden. Be sure to bring your carrion-eating beetles and flesh flies with you. They'll enjoy the treat.

Thanks for the titan arum, Tom.

Bitter Irony

Imagine yourself as a happy little toadstool, content in your place in the circle of life. You enjoy the shade and dampness, the tender warmth of decomposition. But then...

...WHAM, your assaulted by a parasitic fungus. A fungus preying upon a fungus! Oh, the bitter irony!

Specifically, these mushrooms have a bad case of bonnet mould. With the many dangers facing fungi, including ending up in my spaghetti sauce and the depredations of Italian plumbers looking for extra lives, fungi need to learn how to get along.

Photo source: Amadej Trnkoczy

Intrepid Flytraps

I don't think I've ever cheered for a plant before. Sure, I've admired them, eaten them, given them as gifts, and breathed their oxygen. But ever rooted for one? This is a first.

Those two tangles of legs belong to a pair of harvestmen. My world just got a bit brighter with the knowledge that somewhere out there are intrepid Venus flytraps who endeavor to keep me safe from my arachnid enemies. Maybe I'll plant these around my bed. Then I can sleep peacefully, knowing that the chances of a harvestman scrambling across my face while I sleep is next to nil.

Photo source: welcome hank

Philippine Fairytale

When two missionaries in the Philippines tasked themselves with hiking up Mt. Victoria, they got more than they bargained for. The fact that they got lost for 13 days in their ill-prepared attempt was more than made up for (among botanists, at least) by what they found. It seems like something out of a fairytale, complete with pink ferns and blue mushrooms. And to make sure it is a true fairytale, complete with danger lurking in the shadows: a carnivorous plant.

Their talk of finding large pitcher plants prompted a 2-month expedition by pitcher plant experts in the hinterlands of the Phillipines. They did indeed find a pitcher plant so large that it not only dines on the more mundane insects, but also on creatures as large as rats (and small, wayward children who don't obey their parents). This new species is named Nepenthes attenboroughii after David Attenborough.

I'll be telling my own version of this fairytale to my daughters tonight, except these pitcher plants will actually be fairy traps employed by the evil Enchanter. The plot needs some polishing, but I think they'll dig it...

Thanks for the article, Monica.

Photo source: HortLog

At The Root Of It

Photo by Dr. Kamarudin Mat-Salleh
I don't post enough on plants, so I thought I'd bring you a parasitic one. Say hello to Balanophora fungosa, a parasite that feeds on tree roots. But at least this plant tries to give back to the world by sprouting blossoms. Each flower stalk bears thousands of female flowers (which resemble grains of dust) but only a couple dozen male flowers.

B. fungosa is on several lists of unwanted plants. I can't find much about what they do to tree roots, but I imagine that they are the tree equivalent of toenail fungus. I'm glad toenail fungus doesn't send up flower stalks.

Hen of the Woods

Why the gleam in this young man's eye? He's looking at tonight's dinner. Yup, Carrie and her family were on an outing when, much to their delight, they found a nice crop of Hen of the Woods.

Called Maitake in Japan, and Grifola frondosa to you scientists, this fungus is a very popular food. They're known for their fabulous flavor and texture, for being bug-free, for keeping a long time, and for having good health benefits.

How do you prep and eat Hen of the Woods? Well, Carrie's family likes to marinate and fry them. I must admit, it looks delicious. Here's a recipe for Hen of the Woods Salad. If you come across a good crop of this fungus, go ahead and harvest some. And come back next year: more than likely it will have grown back.

Thanks, Carrie. For the first time in this blog's history, people might leave with their appetite restored.

Who Could Say No?

Sending roses on Hallmark Valentine's Day is so over done. Instead, I propose sending your sweetheart an Orbea macloughlini. True, you will have to collect it yourself in South Africa, but who could say no to a succulent flower shaped like a seastar (it even has tubercles!), and colored a deep cardiac red, complete with veins of fatty plaque? That is true love.

Thanks for the link, Ida.

Photo source: Martin Heigan

First-time Fungus

I don't post very often on non-animals. But when I'm forwarded photos of something called the 'Bleeding Tooth Fungus,' I have to take action. This mushroom earns its name from two characteristics:

1) Bleeding: they ooze a red liquid.
2) Tooth: they grow little 4 mm teeth on their underside.
3) Fungus: it's a mushroom.

You really can't ask for a more appropriate name. I probably should have saved this post for Halloween, but I couldn't resist.

Thanks for the photos, Kelly. I feel a little bit sick now--my world just got a bit more disgusting.

Rock Snot

Chris sent me this article on an algae plague that is running rampant across many parts of the globe. I know, I know, algae isn't an animal, but this is Ugly Overload and I am an equal opportunity purveyor in ugly beings.

This algae (Didymosphenia geminata), has been dubbed 'rock snot'. You can't ask for a better name for this invasive plant. It's posing a real threat to many aquatic ecosystems, since it smothers food supplies to insects, which in turn may endanger fish populations. The real kicker is that there is no real way to stop it. Algae is a single-celled, noxious organism that can be spread from pond to stream to lake with ease.

Rock snot. I think I used to call my brother that. I think I also used to call him a single-celled, noxious organism. Life comes around full circle some times.

Thanks for the link, Chris.

Photo source: MSNBC