Fungal infection causes tarantula to grow antlers

This image may see like something dream up for a surreal repugnance film , but it ’s a real horror for the Lycosa tarentula in question . This inauspicious arachnid is infected with Cordyceps , a parasitic fungus that supersede its host ’s tissue paper with its own .

Cordyceps fungi invades its host ( mainly arthropod ) , and its mycelium eventually replaces the host ’s tissue . Once the arthropod is dead , cylindrical or branching growths emerge from the brute ’s dead soundbox . Some mintage also have mind - control capability , convert the host to move to a topographic point where the fungus will bump optimum outgrowth experimental condition before the host dies . If you have n’t seen it yet , this picture from Planet Earth shows a Cordyceps fungus in action :

Really , when it total to being nightmarishly fearful , tarantulas have nothing on this freaky fungus .