gongylode
Gongylode is a term used in mycology and entomology to describe specialized, swollen hyphal cells produced by the fungal cultivar Leucoagaricus gongylophorus, the domesticated basidiomycete cultivated by leaf-cutting ants. In the ant-fungus symbiosis, these structures are commonly called gongylidia, with gongylode serving as the singular form.
Gongylodes are typically bulbous or club-shaped enlargements that develop along the hyphae within the ant garden.
Function and ecological role form the core of the gongylode's significance. Gongylodes provide the primary, readily
Taxonomic and broader context. The cultivated fungus is commonly referred to as Leucoagaricus gongylophorus, and the