Researchers Found A Lil’ ‘Sorting Hat’ Spider & J.K. Rowling Is Chuffed As

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December 12, 2016

Welp, if there was ever a particular spider to make you hate the entire genus a lil’ less, this one is probably it.

Arachnologists in Mumbai have not only discovered a new eight-legged critter that looks remarkably like the Sorting Hat from Harry Potter, they even managed to name it eriovixia gryffindori to honour its fictitious doppelganger.

They also got none other than J.K. Rowling to co-sign the discovery, and the mastermind behind that entire universe even managed to tie the discovery in with her latest pop-culture juggernaut:

.@curiocritters I’m truly honoured! Congratulations on discovering another #FantasticBeast! ????? pic.twitter.com/NJ4Fe27F1r

— J.K. Rowling (@jk_rowling) December 11, 2016

As for the spider itself? It’s a teeny-tiny arachnid that makes itself at home in forests covering the Karnataka region in south-west India. Us Australians are just going to have to deal with our muggle huntsmen for the time being.

It also looks like the hat thanks to its evolutionary camouflage – while us avid media-consumers see it as a talking bit of headwear, predators tend to see it as just another ho-hum leaf.

Javed Ahmed, co-author of the paper confirming its discovery, also said he’ll likely bestow another Harry Potter name upon a creepy-crawly:

@She_RaRoberts @jk_rowling Next time, perhaps! 😮 We might name another cool spider after Aragog! ^_^

— Javed Ahmed (@curiocritters) December 11, 2016