Researchers have found a new species of fungi that infects spiders and turns them into ‘zombies’ in a cave system in Ireland.
The fungi are known as Gibellula attenboroughii, and use the arachnid hosts to spread their spores. Doctor Harry Evans, a researcher from the International Center of Agriculture and Bioscience, led the research team from the Natural History Museum of Denmark and the Royal Botanic Gardens of Kew in this study.
They carried out the research during the filming of the Winterwatch TV series from the BBC.
Molecular and morphological tests confirm a new species of fungi
Tests done by the research team led scientists to conclude this was indeed a new type of fungi. They also named the new species after legendary narrator and natural historian Sir David Attenborough.
🍄 New paper alert! 🕷️ A zombie fungus infecting UK & Irish spiders! Meet Gibellula attenboroughii, a newly described species named after Sir David Attenborough. It manipulates cave spiders, leading them to die in ways that optimise spore spread.
📖 👉 https://t.co/eoFBzno4BO pic.twitter.com/xfrLH73Czg— Kew Science (@KewScience) January 31, 2025
Scientists claim that fungi were present in cave spiders known as Metellina merianae. They also observed that all of the zombified spiders were on the roof or stuck to the walls of caves.
Zombie spiders in Northern Ireland and Ireland similar to zombie ants in Brazil
The spiders infected by the fungi abandoned their lairs or webs, putting themselves in situations where they were highly likely to die. Scientists determined that the fungi controlled the spiders, preventing them from avoiding these dangerous situations.
This behavior is not unprecedented in nature, as Brazilian ants infected by Ophiocordyceps fungi exhibit similar actions and are often referred to as ‘zombie’ ants.
The Zombie-Ant Fungus
Ophiocordyceps unilateralis, also known as the zombie-ant fungus, is a parasitic fungus that infects ants and alters their behavior, causing them to leave their nests and climb to a location that is optimal for the fungus to grow and reproduce. The infected… pic.twitter.com/PRVVOusEcI
— Tree of Knowledge (@ToK_ScienceTree) December 3, 2024
Crucially, scientists were able to observe that hosts are manipulated by the fungi with the main goal of spreading their spores. In part, the Ophiocordyceps fungi and the effects it has on ants inspired the popular videogame ‘The Last of Us,’ in which a mind-controlling fungus causes the apocalypse.
The scientists behind this latest discovery published further data on zombie spiders in Fungal Systematics and Evolution, where they used historical records to further describe the diversity of the Gibellula fungi in the British Isles.
They also showed proof of a generalized epidemic of these fungi in spiders in Norfolk and Wales. Their paper recommended further research to be made into the effects this new fungi has on spiders, mainly focusing on why it targets such a specific host.
Lately, scientists have made several exciting discoveries in the insect world, uncovering new behaviors, evolutionary insights, and the effects of environmental changes on insect populations. These findings are enhancing our understanding of insect biology and their role in ecosystems.
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