Description

• Gibellula is a genus of entomopathogenic fungi in the family Cordycipitaceae. Species form delicate, powdery to cottony fungal growths on the bodies of infected spiders and other arachnids. The fungi produce upright, branching structures bearing masses of microscopic conidia, often giving infected hosts a pale white, cream, or yellowish appearance.

Range

• Gibellula has a broad distribution in tropical and subtropical regions, with species known from the Americas, Asia, Africa, and other warm regions. The genus occurs in Mexico, including the humid forests of southern Mexico and Guerrero, and may occur around Zihuatanejo where suitable spider hosts and humid conditions are present.

Habitat

• Species are primarily associated with humid terrestrial environments such as tropical and subtropical forests, where infected spiders occur on vegetation, leaf litter, bark, and other sheltered surfaces. High humidity generally favours fungal growth and spore production, and the fungi may be particularly conspicuous during wet periods.