Zombie-fungus lurks in Amazon mosses, hinting at a plant-linked life cycle
DNA analysis from the Amazon shows the zombie-ant fungus (Ophiocordyceps) can live inside mosses as an endophyte, not just in ants. Metabarcoding of moss samples revealed the same fungus in mosses near infected ants and even more than 10 meters away, suggesting a hidden plant-associated life stage and a more complex ecological cycle that connects plants, fungi and insect hosts.