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Growing The Zombie Ant Fungus In The Lab: Optimizing Conditions For Stalk Formation In Host And Culturing In Media, Brianna Santamaria
Growing The Zombie Ant Fungus In The Lab: Optimizing Conditions For Stalk Formation In Host And Culturing In Media, Brianna Santamaria
Brianna Santamaria
Ophiocordyceps unilateralis is a parasitic fungus that can manipulate the behavior of Carpenter ants. The fungus causes the ant to bite down onto some type of vegetation until it eventually dies there. Once dead, the fungus grows a stock with a fruiting body from the base of the ant’s head. The fungus then releases its spores to infect other ants. The goal of the Zombie Ant Laboratory is to study how Ophicordyceps unilateralis manipulates Carpenter ant behavior on a molecular level. To research this, it is important to observe it in its natural habitat and in a laboratory setting; the …