SYDNEY (AP) — 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 save lives after a member of the public discovered it by chance.
The deadly Sydney funnel-web spider named “Hercules” was found on the Central Coast, about 50 miles north of Sydney, and was initially taken to a local hospital, the Australian Reptile Park said in a statement on Thursday.
Spider experts from the nearby park retrieved it and quickly determined it was the largest male specimen ever released to the public in Australia.
The spider measured 7.9 centimeters (3.1 inches) from foot to foot, surpassing the park's previous record holder from 2018, the male funnel-web spider named “Colossus.”
Sydney funnel-web spiders are typically between one and five centimeters long, with females generally larger than their male counterparts but not as deadly. They are found predominantly in woodland areas and suburban gardens from Sydney, Australia's most populous city, to the coastal city of Newcastle in the north and the Blue Mountains in the west.
“Hercules” will contribute to the reptile park’s antivenom program. Safely caught spiders given up by the public are “milked” to extract venom, which is essential for producing life-saving antivenom.
“We are used to fairly large funnel-web spiders being donated to the park, but to receive such a large male funnel-web spider is like hitting the jackpot,” said Emma Teni, spider keeper at the Australian Reptile Park. “While female funnel-web spiders are venomous, males have been shown to be more deadly.
“If we have a male funnelweb of this size in our collection, his venom output could be enormous and prove incredibly valuable to the park’s venom program.”
Since the program began in 1981, there has been no death from a funnel-web spider bite in Australia.
Recent rainy and humid weather along Australia's east coast has created ideal conditions for funnel-web spiders to thrive.
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