When you study tiny things, that first glance through the microscope is like opening an unexpected birthday present. What you want is to sit down at the microscope, look at the slide, and go “WOW!!!!” I always make a point of showing them to visitors, especially nonmycologists.
Well, one day I was looking at a really wet bark specimen and I saw dead nematode surrounded by helicospores. What in heaven’s name was going on? What is all that wiggling? Well, when you spend a lot of time looking at rotting stuff, you get used to the aerial dance of nematodes, waving their glassy noses around in the air like cobras charmed by some microscopic swami. But these nematodes (and there were lots of them struggling like this), looked like they had been dipped in sugar. When I picked one up and put it on a slide, this is what I saw: All well-raised mycologists know about fungi with a special talent for grabbing and consuming nematodes. A few species make spectacular constricting rings to grab these wandering nitrogen-rich delights. The delicious oyster mushroom Pleurotus is only one of the basidiomycetes that makes little microscopic temptations referred to by George Barron as “lethal lollipops.” Science fiction fans will recall the famous Piers Anthony novel Omnivore, which features a planet where all organisms in all ecological niches evolved from fungi. In one dramatic scene, the heroes are menaced by gigantic nematodes and then rescued by the constricting ring traps of a heroic Arthrobotrys.Piers Anthony's novel 'Omnivore' But helicosporous fungi are not known to trap or consume nematodes. There was no obvious hyphal growth in my dead nematodes, and sure, it is possible that there were other nematode trapping fungi around (you can see some smaller, non-helicoid spores in the photo). But this is a unique observation, shared with you for free in an attempt to stimulate some original research on your part.
Was this a one-off thing or do these helicosporous hyphomycetes have a habit of doing this? How are they killing the nematodes? Do they make toxins? Here’s another thing… most nematode killing pesticides have been banned. Could these helicosporous fellows be making something with commercial potential? There could be millions of dollars in here for you. All I ask is that you remember the beautiful helicospores each time you cash your royalty cheque.