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January 12, 2024
Coming face-to-eight-eyed-face with a massive member of the worldâs most venomous spider species can provoke a lot of emotions: Fear. Panic. Joy?
âTwas no arachnophobe that welcomed âHercules,â the worldâs largest male Sydney funnel-web spider, to the Australian Reptile Park. The arrival of the 7.9 centimeter (3.1 inch), black-haired spider had scientists and medics buzzing with delight.
âWeâre used to having pretty big funnel-web spiders (given) to the park, (but gaining) a male funnel-web this big is like hitting the jackpot,â spider expert Emma Teni told The Associated Press (AP). âWhilst female (spiders of the species) are venomous, males have proven to be more lethal.â
Hercules was found this month on the Central Coast of Australia. He eclipsed âColossus,â the former funnel-web record holder, for the crown. And, yes, his size is stunning (scary?). But his fangs really draw the eye too. They can furnish the worldâs most toxic spider bite.
âPeople know within minutes that theyâre going to die or are in deep deep trouble,â Dr. Robert Raven told Australian Geographic. Raven's a curator of spiders at the Queensland Museum. Raven said "death has occurred with funnel webs in 15 minutes."
Ironically, itâs that same bite â or, rather, the venom it injects â that has officials cheering Hercules. They hope to milk his fangs. They aim to extract the venom to create many doses of life-saving antivenom.
âWith having a male funnel-web this size in our collection, his venom output could be (massive), proving (very) valuable for the parkâs venom program,â Teni said.
Way to be a hero, Herc.
GIF from GIPHY courtesy of Reddit.
Reflect: Do you think people's perceptions of venomous spiders would change if they knew more about the potential benefits their venom could have in developing life-saving treatments? Explain.