Ants biting the underside of leaves as a result of infection by O. unilateralis. The top panel shows the whole leaf with the dense surrounding vegetation in the background and the lower panel shows a close up view of dead ant attached to a leaf vein. The stroma of the fungus emerges from the back of the ant's head, and the perithecia, from which spores are produced, grows from one side of this stroma, hence the species epithet. The photograph has been rotated 180 degrees to aid visualization.
<p>Fungus species: <i>Ophiocordyceps unilateralis</i>
</p><p>Ant species: <i>Camponotus leonardi</i>
</p>
doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0004835.g001
David P. Hughes, Maj-Britt Pontoppidan
CC BY 2.5
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