He is deadly and has fangs that can penetrate a human fingernail.
Now “Hercules” – the largest male of the spider species atrax robustus ever captured – has found a new home.
In the Australian Reptile Park, north of Sydney, Australia, the 7.9 centimeter spider will help save lives.
The male spider of the species atrax robustus, or funnel miner spider as it is also known, was captured by a private person in the Central Coast area, around 50 miles north of Sydney.
At the Australian Reptile Park, the neurotoxin is extracted from the spiders, which is necessary to produce life-saving antidotes.
– We are used to getting fairly large funnel-web spiders donated to the park, but getting a male this big is like winning the lottery, says spider keeper Emma Teni.
– With a male of this size in our collection, his venom production can be enormous, which is incredibly valuable to the park’s venom program.
Funnel minor spiders are usually between one and five centimeters long. The females are generally larger than their male counterparts – but not as deadly.
Since the venom program was started in 1981, there has not been a fatality in Australia as a result of a funnel miner spider bite.