A colossal spider, named “Hercules,” discovered in Australia, has broken a record.
The largest male of the world’s most venomous spider has been relocated to the Australian Reptile Park in Sydney. This spider has fangs capable of penetrating a human fingernail and will be used to help prevent deaths after being found by a member of the public.
According to a statement from the Australian Reptile Park on Thursday, the infamous Sydney funnel-web spider known as “Hercules” was discovered on the Central Coast, approximately 50 miles north of Sydney. It was first taken to a nearby hospital.
Caitlin Vine / Australian Reptile Park via AP
Experts on spiders from the park nearby recovered it and quickly discovered that it was the biggest male specimen ever brought in from the general public in Australia.
The spider’s size was 3.1 inches (7.9 centimeters) between its feet, breaking the previous record set in 2018 by the male funnel-web spider known as “Colossus.”
The typical size range for Sydney funnel-web spiders is between one and five centimeters. Female spiders are typically bigger than males, but their venom is not as lethal. These spiders are commonly found in forested regions and residential gardens in Sydney, the largest city in Australia, as well as in Newcastle along the coast and the Blue Mountains to the west.
The reptile park’s antivenom program will receive contributions from “Hercules.” Spiders that have been safely captured and turned in by the public will undergo a process known as “milking” to extract their venom, which is necessary for making antivenom that can save lives.
Emma Teni, a spider keeper at the Australian Reptile Park, stated that it is not uncommon for the park to receive large funnel-web spiders as donations. However, she considered the recent donation of a male funnel-web spider to be particularly fortunate. Despite the fact that female funnel-webs are venomous, it has been observed that males are more dangerous.
“With a male funnel-web spider of this size in our collection, its venom production could be massive, making it extremely valuable for the park’s venom program.”
Australia has not reported any fatalities from funnel-web spider bites since the program began in 1981.
The recent damp and humid climate on Australia’s eastern coast has created perfect circumstances for the proliferation of funnel-web spiders.
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Source: cbsnews.com