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Gongylidia (singular gongylidium) are
Gongylidia (singular gongylidium) are hyphal
A hypha (; ) is a long, branching, filamentous structure of a fungus, oomycete, or actinobacterium. In most fungi, hyphae are the main mode of vegetative growth, and are collectively called a mycelium.
Structure
A hypha consists of one or ...
swellings of fungus cultivated by higher-attine genera of fungus-growing ants
Fungus-growing ants (tribe Attini) comprise all the known fungus-growing ant species participating in ant–fungus mutualism. They are known for cutting grasses and leaves, carrying them to their colonies' nests, and using them to grow fungus on ...
. This fungus no longer exists naturally outside the ant colonies.
Gongylidia are fed to the developing larvae and distributed throughout the colony to feed workers, soldiers, and the queen. They are ellipsoid, about 30-50 micrometres in diameter, rich in lipids and carbohydrates derived from the leaves, and are produced in clusters (called staphylae).
See also
*Pearl body
A pearl is a hard, glistening object produced within the soft tissue (specifically the mantle) of a living shelled mollusk or another animal, such as fossil conulariids. Just like the shell of a mollusk, a pearl is composed of calcium car ...
*Leucoagaricus gongylophorus
''Leucoagaricus gongylophorus'' is a fungus in the family Agaricaceae which is cultivated by certain leafcutter ants. Like other species of fungi cultivated by ants, ''L. gongylophorus'' produces gongylidia, nutrient-rich hyphal swellings ...
References
Fungal morphology and anatomy Myrmecology {{Ant-stub