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Delighted to spot this ant (maybe genus Polyrhachis) infected by the Zombie-Ant Fungus (complex Ophiocordyceps unilateralis) at MacRitchie Nature Trail on 23 Nov 2025.

Some people saw me getting excited over a 'blank' leaf until I showed them what I was shooting.

(1/n)

On iNaturalist:
- Ant: inaturalist.org/observations/3…
- Fungi: inaturalist.org/observations/3…

#iNaturalist #Nature #Photography #Singapore #Ants #Fungi #Zombies

A dead ant with its jaws clamped on a leaf blade. Its body is covered with a layer of brown fungus. Just behind the head, a long fungus body has sprouted. The view is from above and one side of the ant. The legs of the ant have fallen off.
Another view of the same ant from the side, showing it holding on to the leaf blade.
A view from near the top of the ant, showing the fungus body sprouting from the back of the head.
A view from the front of the ant, showing the jaws clamping down on the leaf.

Spiny Ants (Genus Polyrhachis) observed by Soh Kam Yung

Spiny Ants from Central Water Catchment, Singapore on November 23, 2025 at 10:27 AM by Soh Kam Yung. This observation is to ID the parasitized ant
iNaturalist
#Photography #nature #Singapore #inaturalist #zombies #fungi #ants
in reply to sohkamyung

sohkamyung
mastodon - Link to source
sohkamyung
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I explained how the fungi infects the ant, then forces the ant to climb up this plant blade and clamp down before dying. The fungi then sprouts from the ant's head, raining down fungi spores on others ants nearby. They were equally grossed and fascinated. 🙂

(2/n)

This entry was edited (1 week ago)
in reply to sohkamyung

B's wild, wild world 🌱🐛🎼
mastodon - Link to source
B's wild, wild world 🌱🐛🎼
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