Australia’s Deadly “Big Boy” Spider Officially Classified as a New Species

Australian scientists have officially classified the world’s deadliest spider, “Big Boy,” as a new species.

The spider was first discovered in the early 2000s by Mr. Christensen, who found it near Newcastle, approximately 105 miles north of Sydney. In honor of his discovery, the spider has been officially named *Atrax christenseni*.

What sets the “Big Boy” spider apart from others is not just its extremely toxic venom but also the fact that its bite is treatable with the effective use of antivenom. The spider’s size ranges between 5 to 9 centimeters, making it one of the larger species in its category.

Mr. Christensen, who was the former head of spiders at the Australian Reptile Park, mentioned that sometimes these spiders can be found in garages, bedrooms, or even within homes, where they roam around at night.

Scientists from the Australian Museum, Flinders University, and Germany’s Leibniz Institute confirmed on Monday that the “Big Boy” spider will be officially classified as a new subspecies of the Funnel-web spider.

Funnel-web spiders are commonly found in Eastern Australia, particularly active between November and April. During this period, the more lethal male spiders emerge at night in search of female mates.

According to the Australian Museum, 13 deaths have been recorded due to Funnel-web spider bites, but since the development of antivenom in 1981, no further fatalities have occurred.