Creature 114: Claviceps purpurea

Fungus which grows on your food and makes you psychotic

Description:
Claviceps purpurea is a parasitic fungus which infects various flowering plants, mostly grasses and particularly rye.

Infection of cereals like rye by this fungus occurs while the plant is in flower. The spores of Claviceps purpurea mimic pollen and make their way to an ovary. The ovary is destroyed ant the fungus consumes the nutrients which were meant for the developing seeds. As the fungus develops it clones itself sending out millions of tiny clone spores which are picked up by insects can infect other plants. Eventually it grows into the long seed like structure you see above. This structure encased living fungal tissue which lies dormant until the conditions are right. When the environment becomes favorable for grasses to flower the pod opens and the fungal fruiting bodies (mushrooms) grow. In this phase the fungi breed and send out a new generation of spores.

That's all fairly interesting,  but considering this fungus commonly infects a fairly major human food source you are probably wondering what effect it can have on humans. The fungus produces various alkaloid toxins which can have nasty effects on humans. Poisoning by these toxins is known as ergotism. Mild poisoning may only cause headaches and diarrhea, but symptoms will progress to seizures and spasms as well as full blown psychosis. Prolonged exposure can wreck havoc on your vascular system causing gangrene which may result in the loss of limbs and eventually death.

Infected cereals can be seen as the dark purple to black fruiting bodies stand out especially as they are usually much larger than the seeds of the cereal, although they can be slightly smaller than the seeds of wheat. The fungus and it's effects have been known for a long time and has been studied at least since the 17th century. Outbreaks of the fungus are believed to be responsible for various unusual historic events which could have been caused by mass psychosis such as the Salem which trials.

Distribution:
Claviceps purpurea is occasionally found anywhere where rye is cultivated.

Classification:
Kingdom:Fungi
Phylum: Ascomycota
Class: Sordariomycetes
Order: Hypocreales
Family: Clavicipitaceae
Genus:Claviceps
Species: Claviceps purpurea

Image Links:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Claviceps_purpurea#mediaviewer/File:Claviceps_purpurea.JPG

http://goa-shoom.net/ethnomycology/psymush.html

http://galleryhip.com/ergotism-painting.html

Creature 2: Ophiocordyceps

A Mind Control Fungus

Description:
Ophiocordyceps is a parasitic fungus with nearly 150 species. It is not to be confused with Cordyceps, another genus which will certainly feature as Creature of the day at a later date. It infects Arthropods, but is most well known for the species Ophiocordyceps unilateralis which infects ants. Like some sort of parasitic alien crossed with a zombie virus, these fungi enter the body of their victim and excrete chemicals which take control of their brain.
 In the case of Ophiocordyceps unilateralis, once a spore attaches to an ant, it excretes an enzyme which helps weaken the incredibly tough exoskeleton. It then uses mechanical pressure to puncture the exoskeleton and invades the ants body with its hyphae (the long branching tubes which make up most of a fungus; usually). When the infection is mature, the fungus forces the ant to leave the colony and climb up  to a high point on a tree. This seems to always happen around midday for whatever reason. Then ant the grabs on to a leaf with its mandibles, the fungus somehow gives it 'superformicid' strength (formicidae being the ant family) . The ant will die there as the fungus uses its body as food to grow a large stalk which spreads more spores over a large distance. And so the terrifying cycle continues.

Distribution:
Ophiocordyceps  has a pan-tropical distribution, meaning it exists in all tropical regions of the world.  Most of the species have a more restricted range. Ophiocordyceps unilateralis is most commonly recorded from Thailand and Brazil.

Classification: Although many these species were once included in the Cordiceps genus, Ophiocordyceps are now considered to be in a different family by the Mycologists (people who study fungi, also known as fun guys).

Kingdom: Fungi
Phylum: Ascomycota
Class: Sordariomycetes
Order: Hypocreales
Family: Ophiocordycipitaceae
Genus Ophiocordyceps


Image Links:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ophiocordyceps_unilateralis#mediaviewer/File:Ophiocordyceps_unilateralis.png
https://www.flickr.com/photos/13084997@N03/6078594848/
http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/Category:Ophiocordyceps_australis#mediaviewer/File:2008-02-04_Ophiocordyceps_australis_8784_cropped.jpg