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submitted 7 months ago by fossilesque@mander.xyz to c/science_memes@mander.xyz

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[-] TacoNot@mander.xyz 20 points 7 months ago

Just read the Wikipedia entry for that fungus. I saw cathinone was mentioned, but I did not see anything about psilocybin

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Massospora_cicadina

[-] fossilesque@mander.xyz 11 points 7 months ago* (last edited 7 months ago)

https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2021/may/19/cicadas-fungus-mate-more-massospora-cicadina

https://www.cbsnews.com/news/cicadas-zombies-hyper-sexual-sexually-transmitted-fungus-expected-to-emerge-this-year-massospora-cicadina/

[-] disguy_ovahea@lemmy.world 10 points 7 months ago

Neither of these links state psilocybin is in the fungus.

[-] fossilesque@mander.xyz 9 points 7 months ago* (last edited 7 months ago)

Actually you're right, but I found a better source: https://www.science.org/content/article/psychedelic-keeps-cicada-flying-even-after-fungus-has-destroyed-its-abdomen

https://www.biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/375105v1

[-] TacoNot@mander.xyz 12 points 7 months ago* (last edited 7 months ago)

From your second link:

Here we report the discovery, through global and targeted metabolomics supported by metagenomics and proteomics, of the plant amphetamine, cathinone, in Massospora cicadina-infected periodical cicadas, and the mushroom tryptamine, psilocybin, in M. platypediae- and M. levispora-infected annual cicadas.

It appears that the two chemicals come from two different fungi. Or I could be misinterpreting that.

Edit: PS. I appreciate all of the content that you post. I just thought this was an interesting subject.