What the Hell Happened: Harryplax Severus

Accio…. Crustacea?

The Harry Potter universe seems to not only maintain its relevance, but to further cement its legacy every year. The franchise already has hundreds of millions of book sales, billions of dollars in the box office, and multiple amusement parks, but it can now claim something else as its own: a species of crab. If you’re still wondering where to find fantastic beasts after watching the movie released last fall, try Guam. That is where Harryplax severus brings magic to the beaches.

Its name actually serves two purposes, as the researcher who originally discovered it was named Harry Conley, according to Time Magazine. Sadly, Conley passed away before the crab gained official classification as a new species, but fortunately the two University of Singapore scientists who conducted further research decided to pay homage not only to Conley, but to another legendary scientist who missed the eventual recognition of his life’s work—Severus Snape.

The crab joins a long directory of things named for characters and objects from J. K. Rowling’s Wizarding World. This list of namesakes ranges from Australian children—the name Harry skyrocketed in popularity in New South Wales in the years following the release and development of the franchise—to dinosaurs (see Dracorex hogwartsia at a children’s museum in Indianapolis). Furthermore, headlines were made in India last month as a spider, now known as Eriovixia gryffindori, was noted for eerily resembling the famed Sorting Hat of Hogwarts. It’s likely that Ron Weasley would not have been placed into the House most closely associated with bravery if the small arachnid were placed on his head.

Harvard students looking to capture a Harryplax severus crab this Spring Break might want to find Buckbeak or a broomstick first—flights to Guam are stupefyingly expensive.

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