On one glance, it might seem that the sorting hat has grown its legs apart from the already existing super-brain. But, no, its not the hat, it’s a spider! A new species of spider, bearing a striking resemblance to the hat has been found in a sacred grove in Western Ghats of the South-Western India.
Javed Ahmed and Rajashree Khalap, and their colleague Sumukha J.N found a new species of spider which uncannily looks like the sorting hat. Javed& Khalap are huge Potter-heads and made a pact that if this spider does indeed turns out to be a new species, they would name it after the series. Once they had ascertained that it was indeed a new species, they named it Eriovixia gryffindori.
E. gryffindori takes the “sorting hat” shape to resemble a dry leaf in the daytime to escape predators.
[Also Read – Amazing peacock spiders]
J. K Rowling tweeted her enthusiasm excitedly.
.@curiocritters I’m truly honoured! Congratulations on discovering another #FantasticBeast! ??✨pic.twitter.com/NJ4Fe27F1r
— J.K. Rowling (@jk_rowling) December 11, 2016
Ahmed said “Naming the spider after a beloved series icon has certainly made a lot of people take notice. It would be a wonderful way to draw attention to an oft-neglected group of organisms.”
By: Archa Dave
