Zombie spiders, infected with fungi, discovered in Northern Ireland

During the filming of a Northern Ireland documentary, a team of scientists discovered a new fungus that seems to manipulate spiders’ behavior-transforming them into “Zombies.”

The fungus, called Gibellula attenboroughiiis described in a study in the magazine Fungal Systematics and Evolution.

A cave spider Metellina Merianae It seems to be the main host of the fungus. This species of spider, usually refusal is all over Europe in Europe habitats dark and humid.

According to, the new fungus was initially found during the filming of the series Winterwatch BBC, in Northern Ireland, in 2021. The infected specimen was detected in the ceiling of an abandoned gunpowder warehouse.

The images that the team obtained indicated that a New species of fungus could be infecting the spider.

A Gibellula attenboroughii Potentially free fungal spores that can manipulate spider activity. After a closer look, more of these infected spiders were found on the ceiling or cave wall North Ireland and the Republic of Ireland.

The fungus also looks infect a species of spider -like spider Meta Menardi.

According to the authors, the spiders seem to have abandoned their webs or covis and migrated to die when exposed to the fungus.

It is behavior is similar to that observed in ants that are infected with fungi of the genre Ophiocordyceps in the Brazilian tropical rainforest.

The cultures taken from these fungi have metabolites that Change behavior, including dopamine.

The electrical signals issued by King Oyster Mushrooms They can also be used to control the movements of one developed by a team from the University of Cornell and the University of Florence in Italy.

The team used historical records to discover a hidden diversity in the gender of gibellula fungi in the British islands and proof of widespread epidemics that affect spiders in parts of England and Wales.

The authors believe that “their role in the dynamics of spider populations deserves a deeper studyas well as the metabolites that produce and allow them to explore such a specific ecological niche. ”