國立自然科學博物館

「蟲草」指的是寄生於昆蟲上會長出子實體的蟲生真菌，當昆蟲被真菌寄生後會逐漸地僵化死掉，並從其身上冒出真菌的子實體；有記載的蟲草約有750種以上，其中只有少數幾種被當作中藥材。圖一是雙翅蛇形蟲草（Ophiocordyceps dipterigena），此菌寄生於雙翅目的昆蟲，如蒼蠅成蟲；圖二是臺灣蟲草（O. formosana），寄生於毛毛蟲；圖三是蟻蛇形蟲草（O. myrmecophila），寄生於螞蟻。不同種的蟲草必須找到合適的昆蟲寄主才能夠繁衍，也因此在野外並不容易看見，每次見到總是令人驚奇。

Cordyceps-like fungi (or Cordyceps sensu lato) are entomopathogenic fungi that produce fruiting bodies. When an insect is parasitized by this kind of fungi, it gradually dies and becomes mummified. Then, the fruiting body emerges from the carcass. There are over 750 recorded species of cordyceps-like fungi; among them, only a few are used in traditional Chinese medicine. Image 1 features Ophiocordyceps dipterigena, a fungus that parasitizes insects of the order Diptera, such as adult flies. Image 2 shows O. formosana parasitizing a caterpillar. Image 3 displays the ant fungus O. myrmecophila, which specifically infects ants. Different species of Ophiocordyceps must find specific insect hosts to reproduce, which is why they are difficult to spot in the wild, making every sighting so astonishing.

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