Parasitic fungus that kills spiders discovered in Brazil


Like something straight out of The Last of Us, scientists have found a parasitic fungus in Brazil that attacks trapdoor spiders, The Guardian reports. It is not clear yet whether the fungus takes control of the spider before killing it like the zombie ant fungus that the TV show is based on.
"It's a really beautiful thing," said João Araújo, a Brazilian mycologist with the New York Botanical Garden, who discovered the fungus. "They infect trapdoor spiders, and it's one of the very few cordyceps that are purple, which is a cool feature." He adds that the new species "belongs to a mega-diverse group of fungi," of which "we know about one percent of its diversity, so we know very little."
The fungus was found in the Atlantic Rainforest, the lesser-known but just as diverse rainforest. The forest has lost over 80 percent of its tree cover due to deforestation. Restoring the forest "would combat climate change, safeguard exceptional biodiversity, and boost Brazil's rural economy," scientists believe. "This type of mushroom has been collected very few times in the world, mainly in Thailand. This will likely be the first time we sequence a species like this from Brazil," Araújo commented.
Subscribe to The Week
Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.

Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
Understanding the species more deeply could lead researchers to "investigate new medical compounds or use them to protect against pests in crops." Some of the initial research conducted included on-site DNA sequencing. Dr. Natalia Przelomska, who worked on-site, remarked that "what was really special about the field trip was that we could go and use some of the newest DNA sequencing technologies with the people working there."
Sign up for Today's Best Articles in your inbox
A free daily email with the biggest news stories of the day – and the best features from TheWeek.com
Devika Rao has worked as a staff writer at The Week since 2022, covering science, the environment, climate and business. She previously worked as a policy associate for a nonprofit organization advocating for environmental action from a business perspective.
-
5 heavy-handed cartoons about ICE and deportation
Cartoons Artists take on international students, the Supreme Court, and more
By The Week US
-
Exploring the three great gardens of Japan
The Week Recommends Beautiful gardens are 'the stuff of Japanese landscape legends'
By The Week UK
-
Is Prince Harry owed protection?
Talking Point The Duke of Sussex claims he has been singled out for 'unjustified and inferior treatment' over decision to withdraw round-the-clock security
By The Week UK
-
Scientists find hint of alien life on distant world
Speed Read NASA's James Webb Space Telescope has detected a possible signature of life on planet K2-18b
By Peter Weber, The Week US
-
Katy Perry, Gayle King visit space on Bezos rocket
Speed Read Six well-known women went into lower orbit for 11 minutes
By Peter Weber, The Week US
-
The dubious nature of de-extinction
The Explainer Is it a vanity project backed by billions, or the future of animal conservation?
By Theara Coleman, The Week US
-
Scientists map miles of wiring in mouse brain
Speed Read Researchers have created the 'largest and most detailed wiring diagram of a mammalian brain to date,' said Nature
By Peter Weber, The Week US
-
Scientists genetically revive extinct 'dire wolves'
Speed Read A 'de-extinction' company has revived the species made popular by HBO's 'Game of Thrones'
By Peter Weber, The Week US
-
Toxic algae could be causing sea lions to attack
In the Spotlight A particular algae is known to make animals more aggressive
By Justin Klawans, The Week US
-
Sea geniuses: all the ways that octopuses are wildly intelligent
The Explainer There's more to the tentacles than meets the eye
By Devika Rao, The Week US
-
Dark energy may not doom the universe, data suggests
Speed Read The dark energy pushing the universe apart appears to be weakening
By Peter Weber, The Week US