New York: In a remarkable discovery in the foothills of the Western Ghats in India, scientists stumbled upon a surprising phenomenon – a mushroom sprouting from the side of a frog. This unprecedented observation marks the first known instance of a mushroom growing on a living organism.
On June 19, 2023, researchers encountered several “Rao’s Golden-backed frogs” in a rainwater-fed pond along the roadside in the foothills of the Kudremukha ranges at Mala, Karkala, in Karnataka. However, one frog stood out, sporting what appeared to be a white growth protruding from its right side. Astonishingly, further examination revealed that it was a mushroom flourishing from the body of a live frog.
Rather than capturing the frog, researchers opted to document the finding through photographs and published their observations in the journal Reptiles and Amphibians. Upon analysis of the images, fungus experts identified the enigmatic growth as a Bonnet mushroom, typically found on decaying wood.
While many fungi engage in symbiotic relationships with other organisms, and some exhibit parasitic behavior causing infections like mucormycosis (commonly known as “black fungus”), this marks the first documented case of a mushroom growing on a living creature, as reported by The Independent.
“In our knowledge, never has a mushroom sprouting from the flank of a live frog been documented. The frog was not collected, so no prognosis is possible,” noted the researchers in their paper.
Various theories abound regarding the origins of the mushroom, particularly considering the favorable humid conditions of the Western Ghats for fungal growth. However, since the frog was not captured, the precise mechanism by which the mushroom thrived remains unclear. Equally uncertain is the impact of the mushroom’s growth on the frog itself.
The discovery raises concerns, given the existing threat posed by fungi to amphibian populations worldwide, notably Batrachochytrium dendrobatidis, responsible for chytridiomycosis, a disease causing sporadic deaths and, in some cases, complete population decimation. Effective measures to control its spread and safeguard frog species remain elusive.
Bonnet mushroom expert and mycologist Christoffer Bugge Harder suggested to The New York Times that while the growth resembles a bonnet mushroom, it could resemble another species. His recent research indicates that Mycena (bonnet mushroom) can grow not only on decaying wood but also on the living roots of trees, transitioning from symbiotic to parasitic or decomposing relationships.
However, this hypothesis warrants further investigation, as emphasized by fungal ecologist Sydney Glassman from the University of California Riverside, who remains unconvinced of the growth’s identification as a mushroom. Comprehensive evidence, including spore and genetic samples, is imperative for definitive classification.
