Fungal infection causes Tarantula to grow antlers

Found this amazing image of a spider which has grown crab like extensions due to Cordyceps fungal infection. Some of you may have seen this type of thing before with the "zombie ants" but this something else!

This image may look like something dreamed up for a surreal horror movie, but it's a real horror for the tarantula in question. This unfortunate arachnid is infected with Cordyceps, a parasitic fungus that replaces its host's tissue with its own.

Cordyceps fungi invades its hosts (mainly arthropods), and its mycelium eventually replaces the host's tissue. Once the arthropod is dead, cylindrical or branching growths emerge from the creature's dead body. Some species also have mind-control capabilities, convincing the host to travel to a place where the fungus will find optimal growth conditions before the host dies.

Source

Thanks for taking my fear of spiders to a whole new level.

S&F

As creepy as that thing is I do feel sort of bad for its condition.
Is this infection arachnid based or can it infect other species?

reply to post by Banquo


I believe it also infects ants. youtu.be...

Antler like growth s is more like it .. there's similar things in humans ..

Enjoy *gag*

Some species also have mind-control capabilities

It sounds so "scifi", cool an scary at the same time.

That ain't right. It just ain't right.

And that other picture ain't right, either.

Great comment under the picture "I don't like that at all"

I'm in total agreement !

eurghhh !

As creepy as any spider is, I think it deserves it.
Unless the fungus can then be spread to other, more enjoyable, creatures. Then I suppose it's bad.

I wonder how long before roasted tarantula with fungus attached shows up as street food somewhere in SW Asia. Apparently, they will eat just about anything.

reply to post by miniatus


Now I'm going to be staring at my forehead for hours, Thanks!

Originally posted by miniatus
Antler like growth s is more like it .. there's similar things in humans ..

Enjoy *gag*

edit on 3/7/2013 by miniatus because: (no reason given)

edit on 3/7/2013 by miniatus because: (no reason given)

I just found this too coincidentally creepy after seeing you posted pic.
A new video game about cordyceps.

Originally posted by Trueman
It sounds so "scifi", cool an scary at the same time.

@2:35 "The more numerous a species becomes, the more likely it will be attacked by it's nemesis the cordyceps fungus. Parasites stop any one group of animals from getting the upper hand."
Fascinating....a real zombie maker. Transmission evolution?

The victim for Cordyceps militaris is a pupa or larva (usually of a butterfly or moth). Its mycelium colonizes the living insect and mummifies it, keeping it alive just long enough to generate the biomass it needs to produce the mushroom--a "spore factory" that allows the Cordyceps to reproduce.

www.mushroomexpert.com...

This thread and the spider raining in Brazil makes me want to cry. I have serious fear of spiders, even baby ones. I was bitten by a black widow one time and it's an experience I choose to block out as much as possible.

reply to post by Dreamkidd


Ok that's pretty messed up. Fire might solve that problem...lots of it.

reply to post by proob4


The Last of Us on PS3, looks like there last hoorah
I like the way they inccorporate the fungus as the enemy, not the bodys.... crazy. And how they go find a dark corner and spread...creepy

Aw that poor girl... *looks over at my Rosie*

Dont get fungus antlers, stella, okay?

Just the title of this thread invokes nightmarish visions. :O

I saw this on Yahoo earlier this week and that is one scary looking tarantula!

It is cool how a fungal infection caused it.