Carnivorous mushrooms

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As carnivorous or carnivore mushrooms refers to a group of fungi , catch the animal by either snares or sticky traps prey and digest. To date, over 120 carnivorous species have been described.

A particularly specialized subgroup of carnivorous fungi are the nematophagous fungi , which only prey on roundworms ( nematodes ).

Due to the frequent occurrence in nitrogen-poor soils, it is likely that the prey, as with most carnivorous plants , is caught less for the production of metabolic energy and more to balance the nitrogen balance.

Fishing techniques

Glue traps can be found e.g. B. in Zoophagus insidans . At its from hyphae existing adhesive threads are mostly caught rotifers . Once caught, the fungus grows into the animal and digests it.

Snare traps are found in the species Zoophagus tentaclum . To do this, they form small loops consisting of hyphae, in which z. B. can catch roundworms. The noose is tightened by contact stimuli, prevents the prey from escaping and then slowly grows into the victim, which is now broken down by powerful enzymes from the inside, like the fungus.

With the Schopftintling there is an anesthetic technique that first immobilizes the worm with poisons and then colonizes it.

literature

• "Carnivore mushrooms - a species overview", in: Taublatt 21, 2/1993
• "Of predatory mushrooms and mushroom robbers", in: Der Tintling 1/2010 : 63-82