Malaysian scientists have discovered a new species of parasitic fungus that preys on “zombie fungus” known to infect insects before subjecting them to a gruesome death.
The new species was found in the jungles on Malaysia’s part of Borneo, a large island known for its biodiverse rainforests. Samples were collected during multiple field trips conducted by the University of Malaysia Sabah’s Institute for Tropical Biology and Conservation, and the research was published in the New Zealand Journal of Botany.
It was dubbed a “hyperparasite” because it “effectively parasitizes the primary pathogen,” the institute’s Deputy Director Jaya Seelan Sathiya Seelan told AFP on Friday.
“The fungus belongs to the genus Pleurocordyceps and acts as a specialized hyperparasite,” Seelan said.
The new species targets ants already infected by Ophiocordyceps, or “zombie fungus,” which manipulates the infected insect’s nervous system and makes it behave erratically before killing it and bursting from its carcass.
“Rather than manipulating the insect’s nervous system itself, Pleurocordyceps infiltrates and feeds directly on the thriving Ophiocordyceps tissue inside the host,” Seelan said.
Named after its unique, distinctly horn-shaped structure, Pleurocordyceps cornusynnemata was discovered after scientists studied a dead ant collected from the Danum Valley, a remote area in the Malaysian state of Sabah, the northern part of Borneo.
“The discovery highlights the immense scientific value of Borneo’s rainforests, where intricate ecological interactions continue to challenge our understanding of life on Earth,” the researchers said in a social media post on Friday. “Beyond the excitement of finding a rare organism, this research underscores the importance of conserving tropical ecosystems that harbour countless species and ecological relationships yet to be documented.”
University of Malaysia Sabah’s Institute for Tropical Biology and Conservation 
The discovery was also published in Phytotaxa, the leading journal in taxonomic botany, in April.
It is not the first hyperparasite of its kind, but “it is the world’s first known member of its genus to feature this highly distinct horn-shaped structure,” Seelan said.
During the field trips, scientists also discovered a new species of spider-killing fungus, which spreads spores through the arachnid before killing it.
“These newly documented fungi hold immense potential … both as sources for developing next-generation antimicrobial drugs and as highly effective biocontrol agents against agricultural pests,” Seelan said.
While the idea of “zombie fungus” sounds scary, experts say humans shouldn’t be worried.
Dr. Jim Kronstad, a microbiologist at the University of British Columbia, told CBS News that it’s not possible for cordyceps fungi to adapt from infecting insects to humans, as depicted in a storyline in the hit HBO series “The Last of Us.” Our body temperature and immunity prevent most fungal species from adapting to the human body because they cannot survive beyond 98.6 degrees Fahrenheit.
