Fungus named after David Attenborough is zombifying spiders in Ireland
A fungus named in honor of Sir David Attenborough is warping the bodies and even minds of spiders in Ireland.
Researchers found that many Metellina merianae spiders across Ireland have become infected with the Gibellula attenboroughii fungi named after broadcasting legend David Attenborough.
The spiders, which are most commonly known to hide themselves away, begin to act irregularly when they contract the fungus. It forces them to leave their lairs and hang from the ceiling or wall before they die out in the open, according to the study, published in the journal Fungal Systematics and Evolution.
“Infected spiders exhibit behavioural changes similar to those reported for zombie ants,” scientists wrote in the study.
The Gibellula attenboroughii is, to a degree, the cousin of Ophiocordyceps unilateralis fungi. They both force the infected to climb as high as they can before the fungus grows out of their bodies, but the Gibellula attenboroughii mainly infects spiders while Ophiocordyceps unilateralis targets ants.
An earlier specimen of the infected spider had previously been found on the ceiling of a gunpowder store.
“In all instances, the infected spiders had moved from their concealed lairs or webs and died exposed on the cave roof or wall and the store ceiling,” scientists wrote.
Gibellula attenboroughii alters metabolites like dopamine when it infects the spiders, essentially leading them to prioritize the spread of the fungal spores over their own needs.
“The fact that Gibellula-infected spiders are found in prominent positions on the roof or ceiling of their subterranean habitats indicates a behavioural change,” researchers wrote.
By climbing high, the spiders create the best chance for the fungus on their decomposing corpses to be carried away by the air currents and “promoting the release and subsequent dispersal of the dry spores through the system.”
The study’s findings and a collection of historical records point to a secret diversity of fungi within the genus Gibellula in the British Isles. There are likely many more species left to be discovered.
Even so, the scientists noted that fungi’s part in the spider-population dynamic still requires further research “as does the metabolites they produce which enable them to exploit such a highly specific ecological niche.”
The fungus disease in the popular video game turned Emmy-award-winning television show “The Last of Us” is based on Ophiocordyceps unilateralis.
