News in Brief Animals

A deadly fungus gives ‘zombie’ ants a case of lockjaw

Closeups of infected ants’ jaw muscles may reveal clues to how the fungi take over

zombie ant

DEATH GRIP  Once the “zombie ant fungus” invades an ant’s jaw muscles, the insect clings with clenched jaws to a twig until, and even after, its death.  

Melissa Ishler; specimen collected by Kimberly Fleming.

By Carolyn Wilke

- More than 2 years ago

Fungus-infected “zombie” ants are known to scale a plant, sink their jaws into a leaf or twig and wait to die while the Ophiocordyceps unilateralis fungi feast on the insects’ bodies.