The largest male specimen of the world’s most poisonous spider that boasts fangs powerful enough to pierce a human fingernail has found a new home after being discovered north of Sydney, Australia
SYDNEY – With fangs that can penetrate fingernails of humans, the most powerful male of the most poisonous arachnid has been relocated within the Australian Reptile Park which will save lives after someone in the public found it accidentally.
The lethal Sydney funnel-web spider known as “Hercules” was found on the Central Coast, about 50 miles to the north of Sydney It was taken an emergency hospital Australian Reptile Park said in a statement. Australian Reptile Park said in an announcement on Thursday.
The spider experts from the nearby park found the specimen and quickly realized that it was the biggest male specimen ever retrieved from members of the general public within Australia.
The spider was 7.9 centimeters (3.1 inches) from feet to feet, beating the previous record-holder in 2018: the male funnel-web called “Colossus”.
Sydney funnel-web spiders generally vary in size from 1 to 5 centimeters and females are generally bigger than males however, they are not as dangerous. They are most commonly located in forests and urban gardens that extend from Sydney Australia’s largest city, through the city on the coast in Newcastle located in north, and to the Blue Mountains to the west.
“Hercules” will contribute to the reptile park’s program for antivenom. Spiders that are safely captured and brought to the public are subjected to “milking” to extract venom which is vital for the production of vital antivenom.
“We’re used to having pretty big funnel-web spiders donated to the park, however receiving a male funnel-web this big is like hitting the jackpot,” said Emma Teni, a spider caretaker at Australian Reptile Park. “Whilst female funnel-web spiders can be venomous but males have been proven to be more deadly.
“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.”
Since the beginning of this program, in the year 1981 hasn’t been any fatalities in Australia due to an insect bite from a funnel-web.
The recent rainy, humid weather on Australia’s east coast has created the perfect environment for spiders of funnel web flourish.
