Why are Pilobolus fungi called “hat-throwers”?
Learn about the unique reproductive strategies of the fungi genus Pilobolus.
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Yafetto L, Carroll L, Cui Y, Davis DJ, Fischer MWF, et al. (2008) The Fastest Flights in Nature: High-Speed Spore Discharge Mechanisms among Fungi. PLoS ONE 3(9): e3237. doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0003237. © 2008 Yafetto et al.The explosive dispersal of a spore-filled sporangium from Pilobolus kleinii.
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Transcript
Why are Pilobolus fungi known as “hat-throwers?”
Pilobolus fungi are helpful decomposers that live on the feces of grazing animals, such as cows or horses.
To complete their lifecycles, these tiny organisms must pass through a grazer’s digestive tract.
The problem is that grazing animals do not usually forage near their feces so how exactly does Pilobolus fungus get eaten?
Using ingenious “squirt gun” mechanism powered by water pressure, the fungi fling sticky packets of their spores onto uncontaminated vegetation.
These hat-like sporangia can be thrown up to 10 feet (3 meters) away and can reach speeds of up to 56 mph (90 km/h)!
Although Pilobolus fungi are not harmful to livestock, parasitic nematodes rely on them for a free ride and can cause disease in cattle and other grazing animals.
Pilobolus fungi are helpful decomposers that live on the feces of grazing animals, such as cows or horses.
To complete their lifecycles, these tiny organisms must pass through a grazer’s digestive tract.
The problem is that grazing animals do not usually forage near their feces so how exactly does Pilobolus fungus get eaten?
Using ingenious “squirt gun” mechanism powered by water pressure, the fungi fling sticky packets of their spores onto uncontaminated vegetation.
These hat-like sporangia can be thrown up to 10 feet (3 meters) away and can reach speeds of up to 56 mph (90 km/h)!
Although Pilobolus fungi are not harmful to livestock, parasitic nematodes rely on them for a free ride and can cause disease in cattle and other grazing animals.
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