Gongylidia

French depiction of gongylidia and staphylae in different sizes

Gongylidia (singular gongylidium) are hyphal swellings of fungus cultivated by higher-attine genera of fungus-growing ants. This fungus no longer exists naturally outside the ant colonies.

Photograph of gongylidia (G) and staphylae (S) in a fungal garden taken care of by Acromyrmex echinatior

Developing larvae feed on the gongylidia and distributed throughout the colony to feed workers, soldiers, and the queen.^[1] They are ellipsoid, about 30–50 micrometres in diameter,^[2] rich in lipids and carbohydrates derived from the leaves,^[3] and are produced in clusters (called staphylae).^[4]

See also

• Pearl body
• Leucoagaricus gongylophorus

References

1. Raupp, Michael J. (February 12, 2007). "Bug of the Week". Archived from the original on 2011-07-20. Retrieved 2019-12-31.
2. Gover, D. W. "Fungal Agriculture and Engineering in Ants" (PDF).
3. Currie, Cameron R. (October 2001). "A community of Ants, Fungi, and Bacteria: A Multilateral Approach to Studying Symbiosis" (PDF). Annual Review of Microbiology. 55 (1): 357–380. doi:10.1146/annurev.micro.55.1.357. hdl:1808/835. PMID 11544360. Retrieved 2021-01-14.
4. "Integrative Biology" (PDF). Biosci.utexas.edu. Retrieved 2015-11-06.