It's not a dead fungus-ridden spider, but it does want you to think it is: Taczanowskia waska fake zombie spider on a leaf

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   Ben Royce V͎O͎T͎E͎ ᶜʸⁿⁱᶜⁱˢᵐ ⁼ ᵃᶜᶜᵉᵖᵗᵃⁿᶜᵉ (benroyce@mastodon.social)'s status on Monday, 29-Jun-2026 12:30:41 JST Ben Royce V͎O͎T͎E͎ ᶜʸⁿⁱᶜⁱˢᵐ ⁼ ᵃᶜᶜᵉᵖᵗᵃⁿᶜᵉ

   #Mimicry is always a cool #biology topic so this bit of #science news is a treat:

   Fake zombies

   As if spiders aren't creepy enough, or bug victims of the famous "The Last of Us" zombie #Cordyceps #fungus aren't creepier, we have now discovered a #spider #species which has decided its strategy for survival in this world is to simply *look* like a zombie spider fungus victim. To disgust predators and put prey at ease

   It's called Taczanowskia waska

   It lives in #Ecuador

   https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2026/06/260617032201.htm