`Hercules`...the discovery of the largest poisonous spider in the world

2024-01-13 2024-01-13T17:30:13Z

ArabiaWeather - The Associated Press announced the discovery of the largest poisonous spider in Australia, and this spider belongs to the Atrax Robustus species.

This venomous giant, which was named "Hercules" , was found by a passerby on the north coast of Sydney. The spider, which was 7.9 centimeters long, was transported to a local hospital and then transferred to the Australian Reptile Park.

Hercules turned out to be the largest of all the creatures dealt with by park experts, and this remarkable discovery shows the importance of constantly monitoring the natural environment and tracking unique creatures that may appear, which contributes to expanding our understanding of biodiversity in local areas.

Huge Hercules spider discovered in Australia

The length of Atrax robustus spiders usually ranges from one centimeter to five centimetres, and females appear larger than males, according to the Guinness World Records, as they are considered the most “venomous” spiders in the world, and Atrax robustus venom carries a great danger to humans. It can be fatal in some cases.

Emma Tenney, head of spiders at the Australian Reptile Park, said that the presence of a spider of this size is considered a rare and remarkable event. She said:

“Although we are used to having large spiders of this species in the garden, finding a male of this size is like hitting the jackpot. His presence in our collection can release a huge amount of venom, which would be of great value for preparing an antidote.”

These spiders live mainly in the forests surrounding Sydney and Newcastle, and can also be found in Western Australia near the Blue Mountains. It is noteworthy that an antivenom production program was launched in Australia in 1981, and since then no deaths have been recorded as a result of the bite of the "Atrax robustus" spider. in the country.