New Spider Named After Harry Potter Sorting Hat

The sorting hat has a very important role to play within the halls of Hogwarts, and now its even managed to influence the real world, though in an unexpected way.

The spider species has expanded thanks to a new type of spider discovered by Javed Ahmed, Rajashree Khalap, and Sumukha J. N (via Nerdist). It was discovered in the forestlands of central Western Ghats, Karnataka, India, and earned the official moniker of Eriovixia Gryffindori. If that sounds familiar, it should, as it was named after the famous hat that originally belonged to Godric Gryffindor, and has since become the magical item that directs new students to their future Hogwarts house.

Once you see a picture of the new species, it starts to make sense, as the bottom of the spider looks normal but then expands upwards into a hat-like shape. The official etymology can be found below.

“This uniquely shaped spider derives its name from the fabulous, sentient magical artifact, the sorting hat, owned by the (fictitious) medieval wizard Godric Gryffindor, one of the four founders of Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry, and stemming from the powerful imagination of Ms. J. K. Rowling, wordsmith extraordinaire, as presented in her beloved series of books, featuring everyone’s favorite boy-wizard, Harry Potter. An ode from the authors, for magic lost, and found, in an effort to draw attention to the fascinating, but oft-overlooked world of invertebrates, and their secret lives.”

Ahmed announced the name on Twitter for all to see, saying “#FantasticBeastsAndWhereToFindThem : Eriovixia Gryffindori. Where does one find it? Western Ghats, India, a global #biodiversity hotspot” If you want to read the full report, you can do so here.

Aside from its unique shape, the report also spotlights the creature’s unique camouflaging abilities, as it has the ability to mimic surrounding foilage and the weird shape actually helps it blend in even more.

While it’s certainly fantastic, the Eriovixia Gryffindori does not make an appearance in Fantastic Beasts and Where To Find Them. Who knows though, maybe you’ll spot it in the sequel.

Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them is an all-new adventure returning us to the wizarding world created by J.K. Rowling. Academy Award winner Eddie Redmayne (The Theory of Everything) stars in the central role of wizarding world magizoologist Newt Scamander, under the direction of David Yates, who helmed the last four Harry Potter blockbusters. Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them opens in 1926 as Newt Scamander has just completed a global excursion to find and document an extraordinary array of magical creatures. Arriving in New York for a brief stopover, he might have come and gone without incident…were it not for a No-Maj (American for Muggle) named Jacob, a misplaced magical case, and the escape of some of Newt’s fantastic beasts, which could spell trouble for both the wizarding and No-Maj worlds.

Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them also stars Katherine Waterston (Steve Jobs, Inherent Vice) as Tina; Tony Award winner Dan Fogler (The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee) as Jacob; Alison Sudol (Dig, Transparent) as Tina’s sister, Queenie; Ezra Miller (Trainwreck) as Credence; two-time Oscar nominee Samantha Morton (In America, Sweet and Lowdown) as Mary Lou; Oscar winner Jon Voight (Coming Home, TV’s Ray Donovan) as Henry Shaw, Sr.; Ron Perlman (the Hellboy films) as Gnarlack; Carmen Ejogo (Selma) as Seraphina; Jenn Murray (Brooklyn) as Chastity; young newcomer Faith Wood-Blagrove as Modesty; and Colin Farrell (True Detective) as Percival Graves.

MORE: Fantastic Beasts Official Review / Fantasic Beats’ Harry Potter Connections / Where the Franchise Goes Next / Fantastic Beasts Timeline / Johnny Depp Rumored to Cameo / There Will be 5 Fantastic Beasts Films / Will we see the Dumbledore/Grindelwald Love Affair? / Who is Newt Scamander?

Fantastic Beasts And Where To Find Them is in theaters now.

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