{"id":14709,"date":"2026-06-20T09:17:28","date_gmt":"2026-06-20T09:17:28","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/8657085.xyz\/?p=14709"},"modified":"2026-06-20T09:17:28","modified_gmt":"2026-06-20T09:17:28","slug":"scientists-discover-new-parasite-in-jungle-that-preys-on-insect-killing-zombie-fungus","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/8657085.xyz\/?p=14709","title":{"rendered":"Scientists discover new parasite in jungle that preys on insect-killing &#8220;zombie fungus&#8221;"},"content":{"rendered":"<p> <div style=\"display: grid; grid-template-columns: 300px 160px; gap: 2px; width: 460px; background: #eee; padding: 2px;\">\r\n\r\n  <!-- \u6574\u884c\u5bbd\u5e7f\u544a -->\r\n  <div style=\"grid-column: 1\/-1; width: 460px; height: 250px; background: #ccc; display: grid; place-items: center;\">\r\n  <script async type=\"application\/javascript\" src=\"https:\/\/a.magsrv.com\/ad-provider.js\"><\/script> \r\n <ins class=\"eas6a97888e2\" data-zoneid=\"5876674\"><\/ins> \r\n <script>(AdProvider = window.AdProvider || []).push({\"serve\": {}});<\/script>\r\n  <\/div>\r\n  <div style=\"grid-column: 1\/-1; width: 460px; height: 90px; background: #ccc; display: grid; place-items: center;\">\r\n  <script async type=\"application\/javascript\" src=\"https:\/\/a.magsrv.com\/ad-provider.js\"><\/script> \r\n <ins class=\"eas6a97888e2\" data-zoneid=\"5876676\"><\/ins> \r\n <script>(AdProvider = window.AdProvider || []).push({\"serve\": {}});<\/script>\r\n  <\/div>\r\n\r\n  <!-- \u5de6\u4fa7\u7ad6\u6392 -->\r\n  <div style=\"height: 250px; background: #ccc; display: grid; place-items: center;\">\r\n  <script async type=\"application\/javascript\" src=\"https:\/\/a.magsrv.com\/ad-provider.js\"><\/script> \r\n <ins class=\"eas6a97888e2\" data-zoneid=\"5876672\"><\/ins> \r\n <script>(AdProvider = window.AdProvider || []).push({\"serve\": {}});<\/script>\r\n  <\/div>\r\n  <div style=\"height: 500px; background: #ccc; display: grid; place-items: center;\">\r\n  <script async type=\"application\/javascript\" src=\"https:\/\/a.magsrv.com\/ad-provider.js\"><\/script> \r\n <ins class=\"eas6a97888e2\" data-zoneid=\"5876680\"><\/ins> \r\n <script>(AdProvider = window.AdProvider || []).push({\"serve\": {}});<\/script>\r\n  <\/div>\r\n\r\n  <!-- \u53f3\u4fa7\u6469\u5929\u697c\uff08\u548c\u5de6\u4fa7\u5b8c\u5168\u5bf9\u9f50\uff09 -->\r\n  <div style=\"grid-row: 3\/5; height: 750px; background: #ccc; display: grid; place-items: center;\">\r\n  <script async type=\"application\/javascript\" src=\"https:\/\/a.magsrv.com\/ad-provider.js\"><\/script> \r\n <ins class=\"eas6a97888e2\" data-zoneid=\"5876678\"><\/ins> \r\n <script>(AdProvider = window.AdProvider || []).push({\"serve\": {}});<\/script>\r\n  <\/div>\r\n  \r\n  <script async type=\"application\/javascript\" src=\"https:\/\/a.magsrv.com\/ad-provider.js\"><\/script> \r\n <ins class=\"eas6a97888e6\" data-zoneid=\"5876682\"><\/ins> \r\n <script>(AdProvider = window.AdProvider || []).push({\"serve\": {}});<\/script>\r\n<\/div><br \/>\n<\/p>\n<div id=\"\">\n<p>Malaysian scientists have discovered a new species of parasitic fungus that preys on &#8220;zombie fungus&#8221;\u00a0known to infect insects before subjecting them to a gruesome death. \u00a0<\/p>\n<p>The new species was found in the jungles on Malaysia&#8217;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&#8217;s Institute for Tropical Biology and Conservation, and the research was published in the New Zealand Journal of Botany.<\/p>\n<p>It was dubbed a &#8220;hyperparasite&#8221; because it &#8220;effectively parasitizes the primary pathogen,&#8221; the institute&#8217;s Deputy Director Jaya Seelan Sathiya Seelan told AFP on Friday.<\/p>\n<p>&#8220;The fungus belongs to the genus Pleurocordyceps and acts as a specialized hyperparasite,&#8221; Seelan said.<\/p>\n<p>The new species targets ants already infected by Ophiocordyceps, or &#8220;zombie fungus,&#8221; which manipulates the infected insect&#8217;s nervous system and makes it behave erratically before killing it and bursting from its carcass.<\/p>\n<p>&#8220;Rather than manipulating the insect&#8217;s nervous system itself, Pleurocordyceps infiltrates and feeds directly on the thriving Ophiocordyceps tissue inside the host,&#8221; Seelan said.<\/p>\n<p>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.<\/p>\n<p>&#8220;The discovery highlights the immense scientific value of Borneo&#8217;s rainforests, where intricate ecological interactions continue to challenge our understanding of life on Earth,&#8221; the researchers said in a social media post on Friday. &#8220;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.&#8221;<\/p>\n<figure class=\"embed embed--type-image is-image embed--float-none embed--size-medium\">\n<p>      <span class=\"img embed__content \"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/assets3.cbsnewsstatic.com\/hub\/i\/r\/2026\/06\/19\/cf4e42d0-59ec-45f1-99d8-e633dbb16c49\/thumbnail\/620x338\/c1222b89c0c520377e93764beec07927\/parasite-zfns.jpg#\" alt=\"parasite-zfns.jpg \" height=\"338\" width=\"620\" class=\" lazyload\" srcset=\"https:\/\/assets3.cbsnewsstatic.com\/hub\/i\/r\/2026\/06\/19\/cf4e42d0-59ec-45f1-99d8-e633dbb16c49\/thumbnail\/620x338\/c1222b89c0c520377e93764beec07927\/parasite-zfns.jpg 1x, https:\/\/assets3.cbsnewsstatic.com\/hub\/i\/r\/2026\/06\/19\/cf4e42d0-59ec-45f1-99d8-e633dbb16c49\/thumbnail\/1240x676\/98302f940b5ccbe339d8d336a8d65d47\/parasite-zfns.jpg 2x\" loading=\"lazy\"\/><\/span><figcaption class=\"embed__caption-container\">\n<p>                  <span class=\"embed__caption\">Malaysian scientists have discovered a new species of parasitic fungus in Borneo&#8217;s jungles that preys on &#8220;zombie fungus&#8221; that are known to infect insects.<\/span><\/p>\n<p>                  <span class=\"embed__credit\"><\/p>\n<p>                University of Malaysia Sabah&#8217;s Institute for Tropical Biology and Conservation<\/p>\n<p>                          <\/span><br \/>\n              <\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p>The discovery was also published in Phytotaxa, the leading journal in taxonomic botany, in April.<\/p>\n<p>It is not the first hyperparasite of its kind, but &#8220;it is the world&#8217;s first known member of its genus to feature this highly distinct horn-shaped structure,&#8221; Seelan said.<\/p>\n<p>During the field trips, scientists also discovered a new species of spider-killing fungus, which spreads spores through the arachnid before killing it.<\/p>\n<p>&#8220;These newly documented fungi hold immense potential &#8230; both as sources for developing next-generation antimicrobial drugs and as highly effective biocontrol agents against agricultural pests,&#8221; Seelan said.<\/p>\n<p>While the idea of &#8220;zombie fungus&#8221; sounds scary, experts say humans shouldn&#8217;t be worried.\u00a0<\/p>\n<p>Dr. Jim Kronstad, a microbiologist at the University of British Columbia, <span class=\"link\">told CBS News<\/span> that it&#8217;s not possible for cordyceps fungi to adapt from infecting insects to humans, as depicted in a storyline in the hit HBO series &#8220;The Last of Us.&#8221; Our body temperature and immunity prevent most\u00a0fungal species\u00a0from adapting to the human body because they cannot survive beyond 98.6 degrees Fahrenheit.<\/p>\n<section class=\"content__body--footer\">\n<\/section>\n<p>  <!-- data-recirc-source=\"queryly\" --><\/p>\n<aside class=\"component list recirculation component--type-recirculation  \">\n<p><h3 class=\"component__title\">More from CBS News<\/h3>\n<\/p>\n<div class=\"component__item-recirc-block\">\n<p><h3 class=\"component__title\">Go deeper with The Free Press<\/h3>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/aside>\n<section class=\"content__body--footer\">\n      <!-- tags --><\/p>\n<section class=\"content__tags\">\n<p class=\"content__tags__label\">In:<\/p>\n<\/section>\n<\/section><\/div>\n<p><!-- \u603b\u5bb9\u5668\uff1a\u6700\u5927\u5bbd908px Grid\u7d27\u51d1\u5e03\u5c40 -->\r\n<div style=\"display: grid; grid-template-columns: 728px 160px; gap:2px; width:908px; background:#eee; padding:2px;\">\r\n\r\n  <!-- \u901a\u680f\u9876\u90e8\uff1a\u6700\u5927\u6a2a\u5e45 908x258 \u8de8\u6574\u884c -->\r\n  <div style=\"grid-column:1\/-1; height:258px; background:#ff6b6b; display:grid; place-items:center;\">\r\n    <!-- JuicyAds v3.0 -->\r\n<script type=\"text\/javascript\" data-cfasync=\"false\" async src=\"https:\/\/poweredby.jads.co\/js\/jads.js\"><\/script>\r\n<ins id=\"1114307\" data-width=\"908\" data-height=\"258\"><\/ins>\r\n<script type=\"text\/javascript\" data-cfasync=\"false\" async>(adsbyjuicy = window.adsbyjuicy || []).push({'adzone':1114307});<\/script>\r\n<!--JuicyAds END-->\r\n  <\/div>\r\n\r\n  <!-- \u7b2c\u4e8c\u901a\u680f\uff1a728\u00d790 \u901a\u680f -->\r\n  <div style=\"grid-column:1\/-1; height:90px; background:#4ecdc4; display:grid; place-items:center;\">\r\n    <!-- JuicyAds v3.0 -->\r\n<script type=\"text\/javascript\" data-cfasync=\"false\" async src=\"https:\/\/poweredby.jads.co\/js\/jads.js\"><\/script>\r\n<ins id=\"1114300\" data-width=\"728\" data-height=\"90\"><\/ins>\r\n<script type=\"text\/javascript\" data-cfasync=\"false\" async>(adsbyjuicy = window.adsbyjuicy || []).push({'adzone':1114300});<\/script>\r\n<!--JuicyAds END-->\r\n  <\/div>\r\n\r\n  <!-- \u5de6\u4fa7\u4e3b\u680f\uff1a\u591a\u5e7f\u544a\u5806\u53e0 -->\r\n  <div style=\"display:grid; 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display:grid; place-items:center;\">\r\n\t\r\n<!-- JuicyAds v3.0 -->\r\n<script type=\"text\/javascript\" data-cfasync=\"false\" async src=\"https:\/\/poweredby.jads.co\/js\/jads.js\"><\/script>\r\n<ins id=\"1114303\" data-width=\"125\" data-height=\"125\"><\/ins>\r\n<script type=\"text\/javascript\" data-cfasync=\"false\" async>(adsbyjuicy = window.adsbyjuicy || []).push({'adzone':1114303});<\/script>\r\n<!--JuicyAds END-->\r\n\t<\/div>\r\n  <\/div>\r\n\r\n  <!-- \u53f3\u4fa7\u7ad6\u680f\uff1a160\u00d7600 \u6574\u5217\u9ad8\u5e7f\u544a -->\r\n  <div style=\"grid-row:3\/8; height:600px;  display:grid; place-items:center;\">\r\n    <!-- JuicyAds v3.0 -->\r\n<script type=\"text\/javascript\" data-cfasync=\"false\" async src=\"https:\/\/poweredby.jads.co\/js\/jads.js\"><\/script>\r\n<ins id=\"1114301\" data-width=\"160\" data-height=\"600\"><\/ins>\r\n<script type=\"text\/javascript\" data-cfasync=\"false\" async>(adsbyjuicy = window.adsbyjuicy || []).push({'adzone':1114301});<\/script>\r\n<!--JuicyAds END-->\r\n  <\/div>\r\n\r\n<\/div><br \/>\n<br \/> Scientists discover new parasite in jungle that preys on insect-killing &#8220;zombie fungus&#8221;<br \/>\n<br \/>#Scientists #discover #parasite #jungle #preys #insectkilling #zombie #fungus<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Malaysian scientists have discovered a new species of parasitic fungus that preys on &#8220;zombie fungus&#8221;\u00a0known&#8230;<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":14710,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[9],"tags":[2186,13009,13008,13006,11471,13007,2922,10251],"class_list":["post-14709","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-news","tag-discover","tag-fungus","tag-insectkilling","tag-jungle","tag-parasite","tag-preys","tag-scientists","tag-zombie"],"featured_image_urls":{"full":["https:\/\/8657085.xyz\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/parasite-zfns.jpg",1080,567,false],"thumbnail":["https:\/\/8657085.xyz\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/parasite-zfns-150x150.jpg",150,150,true],"medium":["https:\/\/8657085.xyz\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/parasite-zfns-300x158.jpg",300,158,true],"medium_large":["https:\/\/8657085.xyz\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/parasite-zfns-768x403.jpg",640,336,true],"large":["https:\/\/8657085.xyz\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/parasite-zfns-1024x538.jpg",640,336,true],"1536x1536":["https:\/\/8657085.xyz\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/parasite-zfns.jpg",1080,567,false],"2048x2048":["https:\/\/8657085.xyz\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/parasite-zfns.jpg",1080,567,false],"covernews-slider-full":["https:\/\/8657085.xyz\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/parasite-zfns.jpg",1080,567,false],"covernews-slider-center":["https:\/\/8657085.xyz\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/parasite-zfns-800x500.jpg",800,500,true],"covernews-featured":["https:\/\/8657085.xyz\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/parasite-zfns-1024x538.jpg",1024,538,true],"covernews-medium":["https:\/\/8657085.xyz\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/parasite-zfns-540x340.jpg",540,340,true],"covernews-medium-square":["https:\/\/8657085.xyz\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/parasite-zfns-400x250.jpg",400,250,true]},"author_info":{"display_name":"admin","author_link":"https:\/\/8657085.xyz\/?author=1"},"category_info":"<a href=\"https:\/\/8657085.xyz\/?cat=9\" rel=\"category\">News<\/a>","tag_info":"News","comment_count":"0","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/8657085.xyz\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/14709","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/8657085.xyz\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/8657085.xyz\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/8657085.xyz\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/8657085.xyz\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=14709"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/8657085.xyz\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/14709\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/8657085.xyz\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/media\/14710"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/8657085.xyz\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=14709"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/8657085.xyz\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=14709"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/8657085.xyz\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=14709"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}