SciMate delves into nature’s secrets to welcome 2025 with the discovery of an incredible new species, selected as one of the Top 10 Plant and Fungal Species of 2025! From spider remains to deadly spores, how does this fungus operate? Let’s find out.
Scientific Name: Purpureocillium atlanticum
Location: Atlantic Forest, Brazil (near North Rio de Janeiro)
Primary Target: Trapdoor spiders, which are spiders that construct burrows to trap prey on the forest floor.
Infection Process: The fungus infects spiders that have already died. Spores then germinate and burst out from the spider’s carcass to release more spores, spreading the infection to other spiders.
Behind the Discovery: Scientists successfully sequenced and verified this new species thanks to the “Oxford Nanopore” device—a portable genomic sequencing technology ideal for field research. This allowed researchers to clearly distinguish this fungus from similar-looking fungal groups found in other countries
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