Newly Discovered “Joker” Spider Named for Joaquin Phoenix
A newfound spider species wears a striking red-and-white pattern on its back that resembles the grin worn by Batman’s long-standing nemesis, the Joker. The resemblance is so uncanny that the researchers who described the arachnid named the species after actor Joaquin Phoenix, who portrayed the tormented, smiling villain in the 2019 film, “Joker.” Ironically, the colorful spider belongs to a genus that was named for the late punk rock icon Lou Reed, who famously wore black and rarely smiled. Scientists discovered Loureedia phoenixi in Iran; it’s the first Loureedia spider to be identified outside the Mediterranean region, they reported in … Read more
