Scientists discover fungus that preys on zombie-ant parasite

A new fungus from the rainforests of Borneo is rewriting what scientists know about the brutal chain of life and death inside an infected ant. Instead of attacking the insect directly, the species goes after the fungus that controls the ant, adding a rare twist to one of nature’s most unsettling dramas.

The species, Pleurocordyceps cornusynnemata, was collected on a dead ant in Danum Valley, a remote part of southern Sabah, Malaysia, during multiple field trips led by the University of Malaysia Sabah’s Institute for Tropical Biology and Conservation. Researchers published the discovery in Phytotaxa in April 2026 and described the organism as a specialized hyperparasite, meaning it parasitizes another parasite rather than the insect host itself.

Its target is Ophiocordyceps, the so-called zombie fungus that infects ants and other insects, manipulates their nervous system, drives them into erratic behavior and ultimately kills them before bursting out of the carcass. The new fungus adds a second layer of predation to that process, feeding on the pathogen that has already taken over the ant. Scientists said that makes the discovery important not only as a taxonomic novelty, but also as a window into how parasites compete and regulate each other in dense tropical ecosystems.

The fungus is also the first known member of its genus to have a highly distinct horn-shaped structure, a feature that helped set it apart from related species. That unusual anatomy makes Pleurocordyceps cornusynnemata especially notable to mycologists trying to map how specialized fungi evolve in hostile ecological niches.

The find is not the first sign that zombie-ant fungi have enemies of their own. Earlier research, including work reported in 2012, had already documented a fungus that attacks the zombie-ant fungus. But the Borneo discovery deepens that story, showing that even a parasite famous for controlling ants can itself be controlled by something smaller and more specialized.

During the same field trips, the Malaysian team also identified a new spider-killing fungus. Researchers said both discoveries may have practical value, including as sources for next-generation antimicrobial drugs and as possible biocontrol agents against agricultural pests. For ecologists, the lesson is sharper: forest health depends not just on predators and prey, but on the hidden layers of fungal warfare that help balance insect populations and shape the stability of natural systems.