Australia has earned its reputation for harboring creatures that make many people uneasy. Spiders in particular stand out.
For decades, the iconic Sydney funnel-web spider has fueled stories of dangerous, sometimes deadly encounters. Known for its strong fangs and fast-acting venom, it seemed like the final word in spider dread. That assumption has just been called into question. Researchers found that what was once believed to be just one species of the Sydney funnel-web spider is, in fact, three separate species.
Their DNA analysis and anatomical comparisons uncovered something unexpected: only one of these three spiders is the classic Sydney funnel-web. Another lurks in the Australian Blue Mountains. And a third, which is native to Australian Newcastle, appears to be bigger and even more venomous. Stephanie Loria, an arachnologist at the Leibniz Institute for the Analysis of Biodiversity Change in Germany, helped confirm that this trio of spiders had been hiding under one name for far too long.
Her team took considerable effort to examine fresh samples and museum specimens dating back to the early s, in order to untangle the details that had been overlooked until now. For many years, Atrax robustus was considered the main funnel-web species around Sydney. People believed it ranged from the Central Coast all the way into the Blue Mountains. Its bite can trigger muscle spasms, breathing problems, and serious pain. However, the introduction of an antivenom in the early s has prevented any further fatalities.
Because of the mortality statistics, these spiders earned their status as the most dangerous in the region, if not in the world. The research team discovered a trifecta. Loria at the conclusion of their extensive analysis. Atrax christenseni earned its colloquial name when a local spider enthusiast, Kane Christensen , noticed some males that seemed unusually large. He collected these spiders for venom programs and showed them to scientists for a closer look.
