Magical scientists name spider after the Sorting Hat from Harry Potter
J.K. Rowling's stamp of approval can make or break just about anything, and a new spider species was sorted into the cool kids club by Rowling herself.
Researchers in Mumbai named a new species Eriovixia gryffindori after Godric Gryffindor because it looks like it's wearing the famed Sorting Hat from the Harry Potter universe.
@jk_rowling We named a spider, after the sorting hat, from the films! :) Meet Eriovixia gryffindori. Link to paper: https://t.co/XpGcCy4TO6 pic.twitter.com/Qwf1fid7W7
— Javed Ahmed (@curiocritters) December 10, 2016
.@curiocritters I'm truly honoured! Congratulations on discovering another #FantasticBeast! 👉🕷✨ pic.twitter.com/NJ4Fe27F1r
— J.K. Rowling (@jk_rowling) December 11, 2016
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Javed Ahmed, Rajashree Khalap and Sumukha Javagal published their findings in the Indian Journal of Arachnology.
We're excited to have found this new spider whose shape is similar to the magical sorting hat owned by the wizard [Gryffindor]," Ahmed told The Times of India.
"As a youngster, I was very fond of reading Harry Potter books. So, when I encountered this tiny spider, I thought of the magical hat."
It's a safe bet Ahmed is not a Slytherin.
