Funnel web spider

Funnel web spider are some of the world’s most deadliest spiders and are found in the mountainous and coastal regions of eastern and southern Australia.

There are around 40 different species of funnel web spider placed into two genera being Atrax and Hadronyche and of the family Hexathelidae.

The Sydney funnel web spider is a medium to large spider with a body length ranging from around 2 cm to 7 centimeters in length and can vary from black to brown in color with a gloss like sheen to its abdomen.

Not all species of  funnel web spider are known to be dangerous but several are famous for their highly toxic venom, the Sydney funnel web spider  being one of them.

There is one recorded case of a small child dying within 15 minutes of a bite from a Sydney funnel web spider but this happened before the development of anti-venom, I would dare say there have been many deaths attributed to the Sydney funnel web spider but the pathologists/ toxicologist report went as “cause of death unknown” or “natural causes” I am unsure of  how hard it would be to find traces of atracotoxin, atracotoxin being one of the compounds found in Sydney funnel web spider venom, there are laboratory tests that can be carried out to find traces of most toxic compounds but I am unsure of how sensitive these procedures are?

When you think about the deaths and those that succumbed to the affects of atracotoxin from Funnel web spider you cant help but think how many lives lost over a period of 40 odd thousand years of Australian Aboriginals living on this continent, and how many died by Sydney funnel web spider bite? not to mention snake bite, I would dare say the figures would be staggering.

So … how many deaths have been caused by funnel web spider bites?

The Sydney funnel web spider has always had a fairly fearsome reputation due to the media, but despite this there have only been 14 recorded deaths due to funnel web spider bite, them being delivered by the male, it is important to note that there have been no deaths from Funnel web spider bite since the introduction of modern first aid techniques and the development of antivenom. The same rules apply to the funnel web spider as with all venomous and potentially deadly organisms and that is… DON’T molest them, DON’T try and kill them, leave them be and if given a wide birth they will avoid humans at all cost, you will find their fear of you will far exceed the fear you have for them.

The Sydney funnel web spider can be extremely aggressive if provoked, and must not be molested as a bite could be potentially lethal, first aid information on Sydney funnel web bites can be found here.

Funnel web spider facts

Funnel web spider cannot swim BUT they can stay alive for very long periods of time fully submerged, they do this by trapping water in the small hairs of their abdomen, Funnel web spider have been known to survive up to 20-30 hours fully submerged. I am unsure whether they could still potentially deliver a bite whilst under water but I cannot see why not? but DO NOT try and see for yourself for obvious reasons.

There are about 40 different species of funnel web spider.

The Sydney funnel web spider is not an insect, it is an arachnid and is closely related to scorpions, ticks and mites.

Sometimes The Sydney funnel spider web can be confused with the wolf spider and black house spider species, but they are a totally different genus and species.

Can funnel web spider jump? no funnel web spider cannot jump.

The Sydney funnel web spider fangs are extremely powerful and robust, and can pierce a human finger nail or in some cases soft shoes, the person in the video above is just asking for trouble 1:50 into the video, this is not the brightest of things to do when encountering a Funnel web spider.

 

Funnel web spider pics, source wiki