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, 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.
This is the fourth species to be described in the genus Loureedia, which was named for the musician Lou Reed
Ironically, the colourful 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, making it the first Loureedia spider to be identified outside the Mediterranean region. The genus, first described in 2018, now includes four species.