Researchers reclassify the infamous Sydney funnel-web spider into three distinct species: Atrax robustus, Atrax montanus, and Atrax christenseni. Led by a team from the Leibniz Institute, the Australian Museum,

Researchers have discovered that one of Australia’s largest and deadliest spiders is actually three different species, and one of them […] The post Researchers Have Identified This Australian Spider As Being Bigger And Deadlier Than The Rest appeared first on Chip Chick.

The study marks a major shift in understanding the Sydney funnel-web spider, with each newly identified species occupying distinct regions.

Groundbreaking research reveals the Sydney funnel-web spider is actually three distinct species, shedding new light on venom, conservation, and the natural world.

Australia's reputation for venomous spiders comes partly from the deadly Sydney funnel-web. It turns out there is not just one species, there are three.

“The Newcastle funnel-web, Atrax christenseni— dubbed Big Boy—is a totally new species. The ‘true’ Sydney Funnel-web, Atrax robustus centres on the North Shore of Sydney and the Central Coast, and the Southern Sydney Funnel-web, Atrax montanus, is a resurrected species name from 1914,” Loria explained.

There are several genera of funnel web spiders, but the most common ones in Australia are Atrax, Hadronyche, and Illawarra. They vary in size and color, usually black or brown, with shiny carapaces. The males are generally smaller and less robust than the females.