In the wilderness of Karnataka, in southwestern India, a frog was found wearing very fashionable gear.
For the first time, scientists have recorded a living amphibian with mushrooms growing on it, which is undoubtedly the gobliest thing ever.
Frog Rao's Intermediate Golden-backed Frog.
Mushroom is a cap-shaped mushroom (belonging to the genus Mysina).
Pair with a true iconic.
In a relatively short article published in the journal Reptiles & Amphibians, Chinmay Maliye, an amateur naturalist from the World Wide Society for Nature in India, and Lohit Y., a wetland expertt.Their encounter with this fashionable amphibian is recorded.
At first, the search for wildlife was a fairly ordinary expedition. That is until they stopped at a small pond on the side of the road, where about 40 golden-backed frogs were frolicking. A closer look at a frog perched on a branch reveals an additional appendage.
This in itself may not be surprising. There is a parasite called ribeiroia ondatrae, which induces frogs to grow more hind legs. But this particular frog was not taken by rOndatrae parasitism.
Instead, its passengers were a cute little fungus that mycologists later identified as one of Mysina.
This in itself may not be surprising. There is a parasite called ribeiroia ondatrae, which induces frogs to grow more hind legs. But this particular frog was not taken by rOndatrae parasitism.
Instead, its passengers were a cute little fungus that mycologists later identified as one of Mysina.
In fact, it is not surprising that frogs were found to be infected with fungi. A fungus called batrachochytrium dendrobatidis – amphibious chymovorous mushroom – is a fungus that causes a deadly infectious disease called chymosis in frogs. It is found in more than 700 species of amphibians around the world and can destroy amphibian populations, leading to mass extinctions in the area.
It is not known that mushrooms infect live animals or grow on live animals. They are saprophytic, grow on fallen leaves and decaying wood, feed on decaying organic matter, and play a vital role in the ** utilization of the forest floor.
Exactly how and why this mushroom is able to thrive on the side of a live frog, which otherwise seems normal and healthy, is unclear. The researchers did not collect specimens, so they were unable to identify the mushroom in more detail or figure out how it sprouted on frogs.
They were also unable to determine what effect, if any, the passenger had on the frog and whether its growth was the result of the frog's adverse health effects.
So if you happen to be foraging in a damp woodland and come across a neat frog with a knack for decorating, be sure to document the meeting and let some scientists know. People who are good at ** have a lot of questions.