国家地理:2011年度十佳新闻图片(2)

Mind-Control Fungus

寄生真菌

A stalk of the new fungus species Ophiocordyceps camponoti-balzani grows out of a "zombie" ant's head in a Brazilian rain forest.

巴西雨林，僵尸蚂蚁的头部向外长出一根类似茎干的物体，这根“茎干”实际上是一种新发现的真菌，名为“Ophiocordyceps camponoti-balzani”。

Originally thought to be a single species, called Ophiocordyceps unilateralis, the fungus is actually four distinct species—all of which can "mind control" ants, scientists announced in March.The fungus can infect an ant, take over its brain, and then kill the insect once the it moves to an ideal location for growing and spreading the fungus's spores.

科学家3月表示，这种真菌最初被认为是单一物种，名为“Ophiocordyceps unilateralis”，但实际上有4个截然不同的种群，并且全部能够对蚂蚁进行大脑寄生。Ophiocordyceps camponoti-balzani能够感染蚂蚁并占领它们的大脑，一旦蚂蚁移动到最适于它们生长和传播孢子的区域，它们便会痛下杀手，杀死蚂蚁。

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