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A fungus that turns spiders into zombies was found in the caves of Ireland
A fungus that turns spiders into zombies has been found in cave systems in Ireland. Based on morphological and molecular evidence, it was confirmed that the discovered parasite is a new species.
Scientists have found that the fungus infected cave spiders that weave balls (Metellina merianae). They also infected related spiders, Meta menardi, which occupy different ecological niches within the caves, Phys.org reports.
Dr. Harry Evans, Honorary Fellow of CAB International, led scientists including those from the Natural History Museum of Denmark and the Royal Botanic Gardens Kew to investigate the identity of the fungus found on a spider in Northern Ireland.
With the help of a local caver, other species of spiders affected by the new fungus were found in cave systems in Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland.
According to the researchers, all the infected spiders were located on the ceiling or walls of the caves. These usually reclusive spiders left their lairs and migrated to die in remote locations.
Scientists note that this mirrors the behavior of ants infected with fungi of the genus Ophiocordyceps, which were found in the Atlantic rainforests of Brazil.
Such manipulations of insects to promote the spread of fungal spores are described in numerous scientific papers about "zombie fungi" that manipulate the minds of their victims.
Based on these studies, scary video games about parasitic fungi that control people's brains have already been created. However, biologists reassure that such influence does not apply to humans.
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