About Sydney Funnel-Web Spider:
- Scientists have named this 9-centimetre (3.54 inches) long species as Atrax christenseni.
- The new funnel-web species has earned the nickname “Big Boy” and was first discovered in the early 2000s near Newcastle, 170 km (105 miles) north of Sydney.
- Characteristics
- It is a shiny, dark brown to black spiders with finger-like spinnerets (silk-spinning organs) at the end of their abdomen.
- Its venom glands are a lot larger and its fangs are a lot longer.
- Only the male Sydney funnel-web, which carries a much stronger venom, is responsible for human deaths.
- Habitat: They are found in bushy suburban areas, open and closed sclerophyll forests and woodlands, often on south or east-facing slopes or in shady gullies.
What is a funnel-web spider?
- These are one of the most dangerous arachnids in the world.
- There are 36 described species of Australian funnel-web spiders and they are currently placed in three genera: Hadronyche, Atrax and Illawarra.
- The spider has venom, which is filled with 40 different toxic proteins.
- Its raw venom is the best way to make life-saving antivenom.
Q1: What’s the Most Poisonous Spider in the World?
According to the Guinness World Records, the Sydney funnel-web spider, Atrax robustus, is the most dangerous spider to humans in the world.
Source: IT
Last updated on March, 2026
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