Sorting Hat Spider Makes List of Top 10 New Species for 2017

Posted on May 22, 2017

Every year the State University of New York College of Environmental Science and Forestry (ESF) publishes a list of the Top 10 New Species for 2017. This year there is a clear winner especially if you are Harry Potter fan. It is the Sorting Hat Spider (Eriovixia gryffindori) named after the Sorting Hat in the Harry Potter series. The spider is pictured above sitting on a leaf.

The spider is just 2 mm (.1 inches) long. It has a conical body that bends and has a pointed tip, helping it resemble the Sorting Hat. The spider camouflages itself in dead and dry brown leaves. It is found in the forests of central Western Ghats.

The scientists who named the spider (Javed Ahmed, Rajashree Khalap, Sumukha J. N.) say the name is an "ode...for magic lost, and found, in an effort to draw attention to the fascinating, but oft overlooked world of invertebrates, and their secret lives.."

Some of the other creatures on the list include one we have written about before - the 414-legged millipede. Other creatures include the Swimming Centipede, Dragon Ant, Omnivorous Root Rat and the Churro Marine Worm. You can find out more about the creatures here on the dedicated website.



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