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SYDNEY (AP) – The largest male specimen of the world’s most venomous arachnid, with fangs big enough to pierce a man’s claws, has found a new home at the Australian Reptile Park, ending its life after being accidentally discovered by a member of the public. will be saved. .
The deadly Sydney funnel spider, nicknamed “Hercules”, was discovered on the Central Coast, about 80 miles north of Sydney, and was initially taken to a local hospital, Australian Reptile Parks said in a statement on Thursday.
Spider experts from a nearby park recovered it and quickly discovered it was the largest male specimen ever received from the public in Australia.
The spider measured 7.9 centimeters (3.1 inches) from foot to foot, surpassing the previous record-holder at the park in 2018, a male funnelweb named Colossus.
Sydney funnel spiders are typically 1 to 5 centimeters long, with females generally larger than males, but they are less deadly. They are primarily found in woodlands and suburban gardens from Australia’s most populous city, Sydney, to the coastal city of Newcastle in the north and the Blue Mountains in the west.
“Hercules” will contribute to the reptile park’s anti-venom program. Safely captured spiders surrendered by the public are “milked” to extract the venom essential to the production of life-saving antivenom.
Australian Reptile Park spider keeper Emma Teni said: “We are used to receiving fairly large funnel-web spiders donated to the park, but receiving a male funnel-web spider this large was a big hit. It’s like that,” he says. – Spider webs are poisonous, and males have been proven to be more lethal.
“With a male funnel web of this size in our collection, his venom production can be enormous and could prove incredibly valuable to the park’s venom program.” It has been.”
Since the program began in 1981, there have been no deaths from funnel spider bites in Australia.
Recent wet and humid weather along Australia’s east coast has provided ideal conditions for funnel spiders to breed.
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