Nematophagous fungus

[1] Species exist that live inside the nematodes from the beginning and others that catch them, mostly with glue traps or in rings, some of which constrict on contact.

Another technique is to stun the nematodes using toxins, a method employed by Coprinus comatus, Stropharia rugosoannulata, and the family Pleurotaceae.

[2] The habit of feeding on nematodes has arisen many times among fungi, as is demonstrated by the fact that nematophagous species are found in all major fungal groups.

[5] Nematode-trapping fungi are mostly concentrated in the upper part of the soil, in pastures, leaf litter, mangroves and certain shallow aquatic habitats.

[6] Arthrobotrys oligospora, a net-building species of fungus, can detect the presence of nematodes nearby in the soil and only builds its snares when they are present.

This is presumably because building the net is a highly energy-consuming process; the fungus is alerted to the presence of the nematode by detecting the pheromones, such as ascarosides, with which the worms communicate.

Escape tubes emerge from these and grow through the cuticle, and in due course, further motile spores exit through these, ready to infect other nematodes.