A team of scientists has identified a new species of fungus, Gibellula attenboroughii, which turns cave spiders into “zombies” by manipulating their behavior and causing their deaths. The fungus is found primarily in European caves and infects specific spider species, such as the Metellina merianae and Meta menardi.
The fungus lures the spiders out of their webs before inducing an untimely death and using their corpses to spread its spores. Scientists are still unsure of the exact mechanism behind this phenomenon, but researchers believe that the fungus manipulates the spider’s brain by releasing specific compounds that interact with the animal’s nervous system.
While the discovery is fascinating, experts emphasize that humans need not worry about Gibellula attenboroughii as it only affects spiders and has not shown any signs of infecting humans. However, further research on this group of fungi could lead to potential applications in crop protection, human medicine, and even a better understanding of Alzheimer’s disease.
The finding opens up new avenues for studying animal-controlling fungus and highlights the diversity of undiscovered fungal species. With around 150,000 documented species, scientists estimate that there are only 5% of the total fungal diversity yet to be discovered. This study draws attention to this challenge and will likely inspire further research into the complex world of fungi.
Source: https://edition.cnn.com/2025/02/14/science/zombie-spider-fungus-caves-gibellula/index.html