Riccardo Liguori A new species of spider, Atrax christenseni, has been discovered in Australia. Larger and with longer fangs than the Sydney spider, "Big Boy" adds to knowledge of Australian biodiversity
@australianreptilepark
An extraordinary discovery came out of Australia: scientists found a new species of funnel-web spider that dwarfs the infamous Sydney funnel-web. Nicknamed “Big Boy,” this record-breaking arachnid has been officially classified as Atrax christenseni, in honor of Kane Christensen, the spider enthusiast who first spotted it near Newcastle in the early 2000s.
Christensen, who spent several years milking funnel-web spiders for their venom to make antivenom at the Australian Reptile Park, said he knew immediately that specimens from Newcastle were different.
“This particular spider is much larger, its venom glands are significantly bigger, and its fangs are much longer,” Christensen said.
Measuring 3.5 inches (9 cm) in length, “Big Boy” is much larger than the Sydney funnel-web, Atrax robustus, which reaches a length of approximately 2 inches (5 cm). Fortunately, the antivenom developed in the 1980s for the Sydney funnel-web has been found to be effective against “Big Boy”.
“Sometimes you might find them in a garage, a bedroom, or some corner of the house where they might sneak in overnight,” Christensen said about the new species. “I wouldn’t recommend touching them, that’s for sure. They produce large amounts of venom.”
A new piece in the biodiversity puzzle
A research study published by the Australian Museum, Flinders University, and Germany’s Leibniz Institute documented the discovery of “Big Boy.” Genetic analysis confirmed it was a different species, tracing a common ancestor with the Sydney funnel-web spider back 17 million years.
What is more important, “Big Boy” does not attract attention only because of its big size but also because of a very special feature in the form of its reproductive organs.
“The copulatory organ of the Newcastle funnel-web spider looks totally different from anything else,” Christensen said. “It’s crazy-it’s so big… If it tried to mate with a Sydney funnel-web female, it would pretty much pierce right through her.”
A call for knowledge and respect
The discovery of “Big Boy” adds to the understanding of Australia’s rich biodiversity and underlines the importance of scientific research in conserving species.
The Australian Reptile Park, where Christensen worked for years, encourages people not to kill the funnel-web spiders but to catch them safely and hand them over to the park. Venom from male funnel-web spiders is crucial for producing antivenom that saves lives.
“Collecting a spider can be incredibly simple and safe if done right,” says Emma Teni, a spider keeper at the Australian Reptile Park. “All you need is a smooth-sided jar and a long-handled spoon. Place the jar in front of the spider and gently encourage it to walk inside. Secure the lid and bring it into one of our nearest drop-off points.”
