With fangs that could pierce a human fingernail, the largest male specimen of the world’s most venomous arachnid has found a new home at the Australian Reptile Park, where it will help save lives after a member of the public discovered it.
The deadly Sydney funnel-web spider dubbed “Hercules” was found on the Central Coast, about 80km north of Sydney, and was initially given to a local hospital, the Australian Reptile Park said in a statement on Thursday.
Spider experts from the nearby park retrieved it and soon realized that it was the largest male specimen ever received from the public in Australia.
Photo: AP
The spider measured 7.9cm from foot to foot, surpassing the park’s previous record-holder from 2018, a male funnel-web named “Colossus.”
Sydney funnel-web spiders usually range in length from 1cm to 5cm, with females being generally larger than their male counterparts, but not as deadly.
They are predominantly found in forested areas and suburban gardens from Sydney, Australia’s most populous city, to the coastal city of Newcastle in the north and the Blue Mountains to the west.
“Hercules” will contribute to the reptile park’s antivenom program.
Safely captured spiders handed in by the public undergo “milking” to extract venom, essential for producing life-saving antivenom.
“We’re used to having pretty big funnel-web spiders donated to the park,” said Emma Teni, a spider keeper at Australian Reptile Park. “However, receiving a male funnel-web this big is like hitting the jackpot.”
“Whilst female funnel-web spiders are venomous, males have proven to be more lethal,” Teni said. “With having a male funnel-web this size in our collection, his venom output could be enormous, proving incredibly valuable for the park’s venom program.”
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