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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，僵尸螞蟻的頭部向外長出一根類似莖干的物體，這根“莖干”實際上是一種新發現的真菌，名為“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.
科學家3月表示，這種真菌最初被認為是單一物種，名為“Ophiocordyceps unilateralis”，但實際上有4個截然不同的種群，并且全部能夠對螞蟻進行大腦寄生。Ophiocordyceps camponoti-balzani能夠感染螞蟻并占領它們的大腦，一旦螞蟻移動到最適于它們生長和傳播孢子的區域，它們便會痛下殺手，殺死螞蟻。
