Parasitic fungus that infects and kills spiders discovered in Brazil

The purple parasitic fungus, discovered in Brazil’s Atlantic rainforest, pokes out of the trapdoor spider’s burrow after wrapping itself around the arachnid. Photograph: João Araújo

Scientists believe they have discovered a new parasitic fungus which preys on trapdoor spiders in Brazil’s Atlantic rainforest.

The rare organism, which is purple, belongs to a group of fungi that infect invertebrates and take over the host. A closeup image shows the fungus wrapped around the body of a trapdoor spider, poking out of the burrow from which the arachnid grabs insects.