A type of parasitic fungus that takes control of spiders before killing them – similar to the ‘zombie’ fungi that affect ants – has been discovered in Ireland.
First spotted in 2021 during the filming of the BBC’s Winterwatch series, the new species has been named Gibellula attenboroughii, after the broadcaster and natural historian Sir David Attenborough.
Researchers from the Centre for Agriculture and Biosciences International (CABI), the Natural History Museum of Denmark, and the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew, studied the species' DNA and morphology to verify the discovery.
The scientists, who published their findings in the journal Fungal Systematics and Evolution, believe the work could help us better understand how fungi influence insect and spider populations.
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Gibellula attenboroughii: a closer look
According to the study, Gibellula attenboroughii was observed infecting orb-weaving cave spiders (Metellina merianae), as well as other species, such as the European cave spider (Meta menardi), across Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland.
When infected, these normally reclusive arachnids left their lairs or webs, moving to more exposed locations to die.
This behaviour is akin to that of ‘zombie ants’ in the Amazon, which are controlled by other fungi before dying in places ideal for spreading spores. Gibellula attenboroughii could well be exploiting the cave spiders in a similar way.
The scientists conclude that the role of Gibellula attenboroughii "in spider-population dynamics warrants further study, as does the metabolites they produce which enable them to exploit such a highly specific ecological niche."
Main image: Gibellula attenboroughii on the orb-weaving cave spider/CABI
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