Scientists have recognized a new types of extinct parasitic fungi breaking from the backside of a 50 million-year-old ant, all completely maintained in amber. In addition to the round mushroom protruding from the ants rectum, evidence of the freaky fungus can be seen throughout the body of its unfortunate host. The ant most likely passed away as an outcome of its fungal infection and was fortuitously fixed in tree resin (which fossilizes into amber) soon later. It is the earliest example of a fungal parasite ever discovered in ants. The researchers named the brand-new types of fungi Allocordyceps baltica– Allocordyceps translates to “new genus” in Greek and baltica refers to the Baltic area where the amber was discovered.Related: 6 (or so) methods fungi can help humankind “These kinds of discoveries are exceptionally uncommon,” George Poinar Jr., an entomologist at Oregon State University who helped pioneer the extraction of DNA from amber, informed Live Science. “The amber resin consists of chemicals that repairs cells and tissues and likewise damages associated microbes that would generally disintegrate specimens.”Peculiar parasite Parasitic fungis are difficult to find and study due to their short life process, Poinar said. “But all of us bear some fungal development on our bodies,” he added.Insects are an excellent host for these types of parasites since they are “easily offered and provide an abundant source of nutrients,” Poinar said. A profile of the fossilized carpenter infected with A. baltica. (Image credit: George Poinar Jr., OSU)Carpenter ants of the genus Camponotus, like the one caught in the amber, prevail hosts of contemporary parasitic fungi of the genus Ophiocordyceps, which belong to the exact same order as A. baltica. “I was rather delighted when I understood that these particular fungi extend back so far,” Poinar said.Although A. baltica are likely extinct today, its family tree might have progressed into modern-day Ophiocordyceps, Poinar stated, although this has actually not yet been proved genetically. Out the backdoor The primary difference between A. baltica and Ophiocordyceps is where their mushroom emerges from an ant. The mushroom, or ascomata, acts as the reproductive organ of the fungi, launching spores into the environment. Ophiocordyceps fungis grow their ascomata around the neck and head of their host ants; the fungi pirate the host ants brain in a type of mind control, which the fungis utilize to require the ants to bite into plants where other carpenter ants lay their eggs. This makes it possible for the fungi to launch their spores in locations with a high concentration of potential new hosts. It is uncertain why A. baltica grew its ascomata through the ants anus instead, although Poinar believes it might have enabled the fungus to keep its host alive for a longer duration of time, suggesting it had more time to distribute spores.”The anus is already open while the fungi would have to penetrate the head pill to emerge through the head,” Poinar said. “It would have enabled the ant to make it through a couple of more days, because when the fungi goes into the ants head the ant passes away.”A. baltica can be seen outgrowing the anus, abdomen and neck of the fossilized carpenter ant. (Image credit: George Poinar Jr., OSU)Nasty way to go Although the reproductive ascomata emerges through the anus of the fossilized ant, there is proof that the fungi spread out through that ants entire body. Stromata– strong plates of the vegetative part of the fungus, called mycelium– can be seen extending from the ant at the abdomen and the back of the neck; and the researchers likewise found sacs where the reproductive spores would have been produced in the abdominal area and neck. This would have “probably” led to a gruesome and slow for the infected ant, Poinar stated.”As the hyphae [the branching filaments of mycelium] spread through the body, it would have been like a cancer,” Poinar said, “however transforming the tissues into fungal stages rather of cancer cells.”Originally published on Live Science.

(Image credit: George Poinar Jr., OSU)Carpenter ants of the genus Camponotus, like the one trapped in the amber, are common hosts of modern-day parasitic fungi of the genus Ophiocordyceps, which belong to the same order as A. baltica. Ophiocordyceps fungi grow their ascomata around the neck and head of their host ants; the fungi pirate the host ants brain in a form of mind control, which the fungi use to require the ants to bite into plants where other carpenter ants lay their eggs. “It would have allowed the ant to survive a few more days, given that when the fungus enters the ants head the ant passes away. (Image credit: George Poinar Jr., OSU)Nasty method to go Although the reproductive ascomata emerges through the anus of the fossilized ant, there is evidence that the fungus spread through that ants entire body.