Largest specimen of world's most venomous spider found in Australia
Newsy
The funnel-web spider, named Hercules, was donated to the Australian Reptile Park to help save lives by contributing the park's antivenom program.
With fangs that can pierce a human fingernail, the largest male specimen of the world's most venomous arachnid has found a new home at the Australian Reptile Park, where it will help save lives after a member of the public discovered it by chance.
The deadly Sydney funnel-web spider dubbed Hercules was found on the Central Coast, about 50 miles north of Sydney, and was initially given to a local hospital, the Australian Reptile Park said in a statement Thursday.
Spider experts from the nearby park retrieved it and soon realized it was the largest male specimen ever received from the public in Australia.
The spider measured 3.1 inches from foot to foot, surpassing the park’s previous record-holder from 2018, the male funnel-web named Colossus.
Caitlin Vine / Australian Reptile Park via AP
