Seventeen-year cicada with fungus
| Title | Info |
|---|---|
| Common name | Cicada, Seventeen year |
| Scientific name | Magicicada |
| Taxonomic group | Cicadidae |
| Source | Dan L. Perlman |
| Ecological interactions | Parasitism |
| Change over time | Life cycles |
| Organisms | Animals; Fungi |
| Animals | Insects |
| Lessons | Parasitism |
| Date | May 16, 2004 |
| Location | Chevy Chase,Maryland,USA,North America |
Seventeen-year cicada infected with fungus, Maryland. Seventeen-year cicadas spend seventeen years living underground, feeding on sap from roots of trees. Then, by the millions and billions, they emerge over a period of a few days, mate, and die. This behavior is thought to be an anti-predator adaptation, as the cicadas appear to be quite tasty for birds and even squirrels. However, by emerging in such vast numbers, the cicadas swamp the ability of predators to eat them all. Having survived underground for seventeen years, this individual (who was alive when the photo was taken) became infected by a fungus that grew to fill the insect's entire abdomen. Seventeen years of development, never to reproduce.
Seventeen-year cicadas spend seventeen years living underground, feeding on sap from roots of trees. Then, by the millions and billions, they emerge over a period of a few days, mate, and die. This behavior is thought to be an anti-predator adaptation, as the cicadas appear to be quite tasty for birds and even squirrels. However, by emerging in such vast numbers, the cicadas swamp the ability of predators to eat them all. Ecologists are just beginning to appreciate the potential impact that hundreds of root-sucking cicada nymphs might have on a tree over a 17 year period, although it is still hard to quantify this impact. Seeing an emergence, and hearing vast numbers of males "singing" simultaneously, is one of the most impressive natural occurrences that I have ever experienced.
