Home Australia New super-sized funnel web spider dubbed the ‘Big Boy’ is discovered – putting Aussies in one state on alert

New super-sized funnel web spider dubbed the ‘Big Boy’ is discovered – putting Aussies in one state on alert

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Australian Reptile Parks spider expert Kane Christensen (pictured) first discovered the large species of funnel-web spider in Newcastle on the New South Wales north coast in 2018. .

Experts have discovered a larger, deadlier species of funnel-web spider, nicknamed “Big Boy”, which has caused sleepless nights for millions of Australians on Australia’s east coast.

The new species of the world’s most venomous spider was discovered by Australian Reptile Parks spider expert Kane Christensen in Newcastle on the New South Wales north coast in 2018.

After spotting several of the spiders, Christensen notified the Australian Museum in Sydney, which confirmed that the arachnids were a new species.

The spider has been named Atrax christenseni, in honor of the spider expert.

‘It’s incredible. Having a spider that I am so passionate about bear my name is simply a dream come true. “It’s very exciting,” Mr. Christensen said. 9News.

He said the new species, which can grow up to 4.5cm in length, can inject more venom into its prey than the normal funnel nets found in Sydney.

“The fangs are much longer… which could possibly equate to deeper (penetration) even through a glove… and the amount of venom injected,” he said.

“I looked at him and was surprised that his size for a male of that species was just… astronomical.”

Australian Reptile Parks spider expert Kane Christensen (pictured) first discovered the large species of funnel-web spider in Newcastle on the New South Wales north coast in 2018. .

The species can grow up to 4.5 cm long, almost twice the size of a normal funnel net.

The species can grow up to 4.5 cm long, almost twice the size of a normal funnel net.

Christensen’s discovery led scientists on a long investigation to determine whether the spiders were simply large individuals of extant species or whether they were a completely separate funnel-web species.

As scientists explored the Big Boy’s physical structure, they discovered that the male spider’s plunger appeared larger and more twisted.

The embolus is a part of the spider’s body that transfers sperm to the female spider and grows next to fangs called pedipalps.

The crucial observation combined with years of DNA analysis confirmed Dr Michael Gray’s theory at the Australian Museum that there are three different types of funnel web.

So far, scientists have tracked Atrax christenseni’s habitat within 25 kilometers of the Newcastle area and it is unlikely that the species will venture south to Sydney.

The other two species are the ‘classic’ Sydney funnel-web, also known as Atrax robustus, and the southern Sydney funnel-web, known as Atrax montanus.

Professor Kristofer Helgen, director of the Australian Museum Research Institute, said it was an important discovery.

The new species of spider (pictured) is almost twice the size of a normal funnel web.

The new species of spider (pictured) is almost twice the size of a normal funnel web.

“This is an amazing moment in spider biology – this is the most venomous spider in the world,” Professor Helgen said.

The current antivenom used to treat funnel-web spider bites will be effective against the new species.

The antivenin was first developed in the 1980s and since then there have been no deaths from funnel-web spider bites recorded in Australia.

Spider bites can cause muscle spasms, profuse sweating, and if untreated, death is possible.

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