Erebus
Well-Known Member
A hell of a lot of horror stories are inspired by nature. This thread is for discussing the various different plants, animals and parasites that are truly disgusting, frightening or disturbing. Whether it be sharks, tapeworm or carnivorous plants, post a little information about nature's answer to Freddy Kruger here 
Being a zombie fanatic myself I've always been fascinated by some of the parasitic organisms that transform their hosts into mindless horrors*. One of the more disgusting parasites is the Ophiocordyceps camponoti-balzani, a fungus that infects ants and takes control of their minds. The "zombie ants" will attach themselves to a leaf and die while the fungus spreads through their bodies. Eventually the fungus will spread its spores over other ants, infected them and transforming them into yet more zombies.
(A dead ant with the zombie fungus growing out of its head)
Another zombie creature is caused by Leucochloridium paradoxum, a parasitic worm that infects snails. The parasite feeds of nutrients within the snail until it grows large enough to take over the snail's brain. The parasite causes the snail's eyes to bulge and pulsate, mimicking a maggot, the snail then climbs to the top of a tree where its pulsating eyes attract hungry birds. When the bird eats the snail's eyes, the parasitic worms reproduce within its body and are spread by its faeces to infect more snails. Should the snail survive the bird attack, the parasite will continue to dominate it, forcing it to climb again and again when its eyes regenerate.
(A "zombie snail", the parasite has caused its eyes to take on the appearance of maggots in order to attract birds)
*I'm writing about zombies for my dissertation, so my morbid curiosity now counts as "research"
Being a zombie fanatic myself I've always been fascinated by some of the parasitic organisms that transform their hosts into mindless horrors*. One of the more disgusting parasites is the Ophiocordyceps camponoti-balzani, a fungus that infects ants and takes control of their minds. The "zombie ants" will attach themselves to a leaf and die while the fungus spreads through their bodies. Eventually the fungus will spread its spores over other ants, infected them and transforming them into yet more zombies.
(A dead ant with the zombie fungus growing out of its head)
Another zombie creature is caused by Leucochloridium paradoxum, a parasitic worm that infects snails. The parasite feeds of nutrients within the snail until it grows large enough to take over the snail's brain. The parasite causes the snail's eyes to bulge and pulsate, mimicking a maggot, the snail then climbs to the top of a tree where its pulsating eyes attract hungry birds. When the bird eats the snail's eyes, the parasitic worms reproduce within its body and are spread by its faeces to infect more snails. Should the snail survive the bird attack, the parasite will continue to dominate it, forcing it to climb again and again when its eyes regenerate.
(A "zombie snail", the parasite has caused its eyes to take on the appearance of maggots in order to attract birds)
*I'm writing about zombies for my dissertation, so my morbid curiosity now counts as "research"
