Fungi That Infect Insects: Altering Host Behavior and Beyond
Fig 1
Micro- and macrophenotypes related to fungal infection and colonization of insect hosts.
(A) Appressorium (AP) formation concurrent with mucilage production by M. robertsii on an insect cuticle 18 h after inoculation; CO: conidium; bar: 5 μm. (B) Formation of an M. robertsii hyphal body (HB) in a locust hemocoel 36 h after infection. Arrows point to the contraction rings formed for yeast-like budding; HE: hemocyte; bar: 5 μm. (C) Locust cadaver killed and mycosed by the asexual spores of the specific pathogen M. acridum. (D) Zombie ant. This carpenter ant (Camponotus sp.) was killed and colonized by O. unilateralis to form sexual fruiting body (stroma), which erupted from the insect’s head. The insert shows the front of the ant, which was holding tightly to the leaf before its death (courtesy of and copyright by Daniel Winker). Arrows indicate perithecial plates. (E) Caterpillar fungus. A ghost moth (Hepialus sp.) larva infected by O. sinensis remained close to the soil surface with its head up in death, and the stroma erupted from the insect’s head (arrow) (courtesy of and copyright by Daniel Winker).