A new species of velvet spider, known as eresidae, was discovered in Alborz, Iran, and due to the pattern on its abdomen, which somewhat resembles the face painting of the Joker, the Clown Prince of Crime enemy of Batman, was named after Oscar winner for the same role, Joaquin Phoenix.
The spider’s scientific name is Loureedia phoenixi, named after the actor and animal rights activist Joaquin Phoenix and for his role in the 2019 Joker movie. The spider has thin black hair in most its body with a bright red line on the back and white spots on each end.
“Recently, me and my colleague named a new species of this genus from Iran as Loureedia phoenixi, after the American actor, producer and animal rights activist Joaquin Phoenix in recognition of his praised portrayal of the title character in the 2019 movie Joker,” said Alireza Zamani, the arachnologist and taxonomist who discovered the new species.
Velvet spiders are typically found in Eurasia and parts of Africa. Their hair is shiny and thick, earning them the name “velvet,” and their nets are generally littered with debris and sand. The velvet spider is not likely to be poisonous to humans, but it may have some venom, potent for killing insects.
