Disgusting! Meet the mushroom that looks like it came out of a horror movie

The images don't let us lie. There is no more appropriate definition for this fungus than "item from a horror movie." If you've seen movie hits that show aliens or lab-created monsters, you'll understand. Depending on the screen character is even cute near this scary mushroom.

And the description of the elements further confirms our perception: this being arises from an egg, tears a membrane and creates tentacles wrapped in goo. To top it off, it smells bad. The only difference when compared to the members of the movies is that it is real and can really terrify you!

Joking aside, this fungus is of the species Clathrus archeri and is also known as "devil's toes". By its unusual appearance, comparison with fictional horror characters is inevitable, but believe me, there are communities that consume it as food when it is still in the egg stage and consider it a delicacy. However, there is another similar species, Clathrus ruber, which has reports of intoxication attributed to its consumption, causing eczema, seizures and even cancer. Therefore, it is recommended not to risk a bite.

The species Clathrus archeri

The specimen of the photos was spotted in the United Kingdom, but the species is originally from Australia and New Zealand. It is believed to have been introduced to Europe through the military supplements of the French troops in 1914 at the beginning of the First World War. It was at this time that the first Clathrus archeri were found in Penzance, Cornwall, and thus spread to several other cities in the country.

Unlike most fungi that emerge from the earth, the fingers of the devil hatch from eggs that constitute the initial phase. These eggs are found in clumps and are between 4 and 6 cm high and 2 and 4 cm wide. When the tentacles break the membrane, they stick together, but over time they may detach and open, as if they are blooming. In the final phase, these tentacles can reach 5 to 10 cm in height.

The "fingers" are wrapped in a brown-colored slime called "gleba" that smells bad. This mechanism serves to attract flies that, soaked in the sticky substance, become “spreading agents”. The environments that most favor the emergence of this fungus are decaying wood chips, old stumps and burlap.

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