Gibellula attenboroughii

In the holotype specimen on Metellina merianae, the mycelial mat is dense and white, turning creamish yellow upon drying. There are many cylindrical, swollen, and woolly (floccose) synnemata all over the specimen. The synnemata are creamish-white in color and have a diameter of up to 250 μm at the base, tapering at the tip. They are 3–7 mm long and have the tip swollen and club- or oval-shaped. The conidiophores are present along the entire synnemata, more sparsely at the base and becoming more dense towards the tip. The conidiophores at the base have long stipes 80–120 × 5–8 μm in dimension, while those towards the tip have shorter stipes 20–30 × 6–8 μm in dimension. The heads are aspergilliform or occasionally penicillioid, with a rough wall, and 1 or 2 prominent septa.

Gibellula attenboroughii is currently known only from the island of Ireland. In Northern Ireland, it has been recorded from County Down and County Fermanagh. In the Republic of Ireland, it is known from County Cavan. Specimens of Metellina merianae spiders infected with Gibellula fungi from Wales may also represent records of G. attenboroughii, but this identification is tentative. Metellina merianae inhabits the twilight zone near the entrances to caves, as well as man-made spaces such as cellars, culverts, and storage-rooms. Meta menardi is more common in the dark zone, but is specially adapted to the epigean/hypogean ecotone and frequently shares an overlapping niche with Metellina merianae. In one case, infected specimens of both species were found around 3 cm apart around 20 m from the entrance to a cave.