Australian scientists officially confirmed the existence of a new venomous funnel-web spider species, named Big Boy (Atrax christenseni), discovered near Newcastle, 170 kilometers north of Sydney. The species, named in honor of Newcastle spider enthusiast Kane Christensen, is the largest of three newly identified species of funnel-web spiders. The discovery was made by researchers from the Australian Museum, Flinders University, and the Leibniz Institute in Germany, and will be classified as a separate species.
"This particular spider is much larger, its venom glands are much larger, and its fangs are much longer," Christensen said, noting its distinct features compared to the true Sydney funnel-web, Atrax robustus, as reported by the Mirror. "The sheer size of the males, compared to the males of the other Atrax species, is simply astounding," he added.
The Big Boy spiders can grow up to 9 centimeters, nearly twice the size of the common Sydney funnel-web spider, Atrax robustus, which measures about 5 centimeters. The newly identified Atrax christenseni has larger venom glands and longer fangs than its relatives and is said to release "copious amounts of venom."
Christensen warned residents about the potential danger of these spiders venturing into homes. "You can sometimes find them in a garage, bedroom, or somewhere else in the house, especially if they have walked in at night. Do not touch them at all; they produce large amounts of venom," he cautioned. He further emphasized, "I would not recommend touching them that's for sure, they do give copious amounts of venom," Christensen said, as reported by Express.co.uk.
Despite the spider's potent venom, a highly effective antivenom developed in the 1980s prevents most fatalities from funnel-web spider bites in Australia. "A total of 13 deaths related to Sydney funnel-web spider bites have been recorded, with no further fatalities since the development of antivenom in the 1980s," according to the Australian Museum, reported India Today. The same antivenom is effective in treating bites from Atrax christenseni.
Dr. Stephanie Loria, an arachnologist at the Leibniz Institute for the Analysis of Biodiversity Change in Germany, was part of the research team that confirmed the new species. "The study revealed the hidden diversity among funnel-web spiders," she said, according to The Independent. "None of these insights would have been possible without the use of historical collections and international collaboration," Dr. Loria added.
The researchers conducted anatomical and DNA comparisons of different populations of the Sydney funnel-web spider, one of the world's deadliest spiders. They compared the specimens with museum collections dating back to the early 1900s.
Toxicologist Geoff Isbister from the Calvary Mater Newcastle Hospital commented on the findings. "While funnel-web bites are the most severe among spiders, they are not very common. If you are bitten by a funnel-web spider, call an ambulance and go straight to hospital," he advised.
In their study published in the journal BMC Ecology and Evolution, the researchers identified three species of funnel-web spiders: the well-known Atrax robustus, the southern Atrax montanus, and the largest, the Newcastle Atrax christenseni, named after Kane Christensen. "The reclassification of the funnel-web spiders may have practical implications for antivenom production," according to The Independent.
Dr. Danilo Harms, another author of the study, emphasized the importance of species-level differentiation. "Although no human fatalities have occurred since the development of antivenom in the 1980s, the antivenom for Sydney funnel-web spiders might be optimised by considering biological differentiation at the species level," he stated.
Chris Helgen from the research team underscored the significance of spiders in the ecosystem. "Spiders are amazing creatures. They are older than dinosaurs and for more than 300 million years of existence have mastered almost every environment on Earth. Spiders play a vital role in global ecosystems and are astonishingly diverse—about 52,500 living species of spiders are known, and potentially many more could be discovered," he said, according to Dnevnik.
Christensen expressed his passion for funnel-web spiders and his honor at having the new species named after him. "I am very passionate about funnel-webs and there is no greater compliment than to have another scientist name a funnel-web species after me. I am deeply honoured and accept it with great pleasure," he shared, according to Yahoo News. Christensen, a spider enthusiast and former head of the arachnid department at the Australian Reptile Park, discovered the Big Boy species and reported his observations to scientists.
The Big Boy spiders are most active from November to April, during which time the more deadly male ventures out at night searching for mates. Residents of Sydney and the wider area in New South Wales are advised to be cautious.
This article was written in collaboration with generative AI company Alchemiq