Six Mind-Controlling 'Zombie Fungi' Found in Mexico's Forests, One Named for Guillermo del Toro

Researchers at the University of Guadalajara document six species of fungi that hijack ants and march them to their deaths — the first ever described for Mexico.

Deep in the tropical forests of Jalisco, a University of Guadalajara scientist has documented something that reads like horror fiction: six species of "zombie fungi" that infect ants and spiders, hijack their nervous systems, and march them to their deaths.

César Ballesteros, a researcher at the university's Center for Biological and Agricultural Sciences, identified the six entomopathogenic fungi — the first such species ever described for Mexico. The fungi release specialized metabolites that interfere with an ant's nervous system, making it walk erratically before steering it toward places researchers call "cemeteries": spots with the light and humidity the fungus needs to spread.

There, the ant makes its final move, clamping its jaws and legs onto bark, leaves, or the underside of a rock. The ant dies, and the fungus grows out of the body to release spores and reach new hosts.

Ballesteros named one of the new species Ophiocordyceps deltoroi, honoring filmmaker Guillermo del Toro — a Jalisco native, a University of Guadalajara graduate, and a lifelong chronicler of monsters. "He resembles the characters he has created in his career," the researcher said.

The pop-culture link runs deeper than the tribute. This kind of parasitic fungus is what inspired the video game and HBO series The Last of Us, where a fungal infection turns humans into zombie-like hosts.

Beyond the spectacle, the find is a milestone for Mexican science. Before this work, only a single "Mexican cordyceps" — one that attacks butterflies — had been described for the country. The six new species are exclusive to Mexico. And some of these fungi produce compounds being studied for potential use against cancer, tuberculosis, and multiple sclerosis.

Sources: ABC, Diario Libre