Thursday, 7 March 2013

Fascinating Funghi: Cordyceps


"This image may look like something dreamed up for a surreal horror movie, but it's a real horror for the tarantula in question. This unfortunate arachnid is infected with Cordyceps, a parasitic fungus that replaces its host's tissue with its own.

Cordyceps fungi invades its hosts (mainly arthropods), and its mycelium eventually replaces the host's tissue. Once the arthropod is dead, cylindrical or branching growths emerge from the creature's dead body. Some species also have mind-control capabilities, convincing the host to travel to a place where the fungus will find optimal growth conditions before the host dies."

 - Lauren Davis

 It's kind of terrifying and fascinating and (dare I say) beautiful all at once. Here're some more examples of Cordyceps-infected insects:





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1 comment:

  1. Unknown26 September 2014 at 11:15

    How the cordyceps will be helpful for human body? I have seen lot of product which is made by cordyceps powder, so my question is that how this powder made from cordyceps? or which cordyceps is used to make the powder?

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