Ant-fungus Mutualism

High Quality Content by WIKIPEDIA articles! Ant- fungus mutualism is a symbiosis seen in certain ant and fungal species, where ants actively cultivate fungus much like humans farm crops as a food source. Interestingly, in some species, the ants and fungi are dependent on each other for survival. The leafcutter ant is a well known example of this symbiosis. A mutualism with fungi is also noted in some species of termites in Africa. Given the exclusive New World distribution of the >200 attine ant species, this mutualism is thought to have originated in the basin of the Amazon rainforest some 50-65 million years ago. The attine ants actively propagate, nurture and defend the basidiomycete cultivar. In return, the fungus provides nutrients for the ants, which may accumulate in specialized hyphal-tips known as gongylidia.