A spider in the Himalayas wears the same red smiling face as Hawaii's famous happy-face spider — and its DNA marks it as a new species, not the Hawaiian one long thought to wear that grin alone

Researchers have identified a new spider species in the western Himalayas that bears a striking resemblance to the famous Hawaiian happy-face spider. For over a century, the distinct facial pattern found on the Hawaiian arachnid was believed to be unique to those islands. This new discovery, detailed in the journal Evolutionary Systematics, confirms that the grin exists on the other side of the world.

The discovery occurred during an ant survey conducted by scientists Devi Priyadarshini and Ashirwad Tripathy in Uttarakhand. While scanning the undersides of leaves in forests situated at high altitudes, the team photographed spiders displaying the same dark dots and red curves long associated with their Hawaiian cousins. These spiders reside in similar high-elevation environments and exhibit a high degree of color polymorphism, featuring various combinations of red, black, and white patterns.

Genetic analysis provided the evidence needed to distinguish this population from the Hawaiian species. By comparing the mitochondrial COI gene, the researchers identified an 8.5 percent difference between the Himalayan spiders and those from Hawaii. This gap indicates that the Himalayan spiders represent an entirely separate lineage. The team officially named the new species Theridion himalayana to honor the mountain range where it was found.

The existence of two distinct species wearing the same iconic face raises significant questions about how such patterns originate. The researchers are currently examining whether this is a case of parallel evolution where two species independently developed the same design or if they share an ancient ancestor. Both populations also show a preference for living on ginger plants, despite the geographic distance between their habitats.

This finding serves as a starting point for further investigation into the biodiversity of the Himalayan region. As scientists conduct more surveys in these high-altitude forests, they hope to uncover additional color variations and clarify the evolutionary relationship between these smiling spiders. For now, the origin of this shared trait remains a biological puzzle waiting for more data.