The largest male specimen of the world's most poisonous spiders was found in Australia.
The deadly Sydney spider was found on the Central Coast, about 50 miles north of Sydney, and was initially surrendered to a local hospital but has now found a new home at the Australian Reptile Park, where it will help save lives.
Spider experts recovered the spider from the park and quickly realized it was the largest male specimen ever discovered by a member of the public in Australia.
The Sydney funnel-web spider is nicknamed 'Hercules'. Photo: AP
The spider, named “Hercules,” measured 7.9 cm (3.1 inches) from foot to foot, surpassing the park’s previous record holder from 2018, a male funnel web called “Colossus.”
Sydney funnel-web spiders have powerful fangs that can pierce a human fingernail and are typically 1 to 5 cm long, with females generally larger than males, although not as lethal.
It is found mostly in woodland areas and suburban parks from Sydney to the coastal city of Newcastle in the north and the Blue Mountains in the west.
The spider is 7.9 cm (3.1 in) long from foot to foot. Photo: AP
Hercules will contribute to the reptile park's poison control program.
Safely captured spiders delivered by the public undergo “milking” to extract the venom, which is essential for the production of life-saving antivenom.
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“Venom production can be enormous.”
“We're used to donating very large funnel-web spiders to the park, but getting a male funnel-web this big is like hitting the jackpot,” said Emma Tinney, spider keeper at the Australian Reptile Park.
“While female funnel-web spiders are venomous, males have proven to be even more deadly.
“With a male funnel web of this size in our collection, venom production can be enormous, proving incredibly valuable to the park’s poison program.”
Since the program began in 1981, there have been no deaths in Australia due to a funnel-web spider bite.
