First there was Colossus, then Hercules … now, Thor.
Among the Australian Reptile Park’s tributes to the gods, one is newly pre-eminent, bearing the title of “Hemsworth”.
Hemsworth – named for the Australian actor (Chris) who plays Thor in the Marvel Universe and his brothers, Luke and Liam – is believed to be the largest male funnel-web spider ever recorded: 9.2cm foot-to-foot.
“This spider was just so big in comparison to his peers it reminded me of Chris Hemsworth and his brothers, and how they tower over the average person,” spider keeper Emma Teni said in a statement shared by the park.
Hemsworth surpassed his predecessors, named Hercules (7.9cm), and Colossus (7.8cm). They are all unusually large: a typical male funnel-web spider measures between 1cm and 5cm. (Females are generally larger than their male counterparts but not as deadly.)
Hemsworth was captured near Newcastle, north of Sydney, and handed in at one of the park’s spider drop-off centres.
The arachnid was “the biggest spider we’ve ever received at the Australian reptile park,” Teni said in a video posted to Instagram.
“We thought for sure he had to be a female because of his size, but upon closer inspection, he’s a boy.
“This means Hemsworth is going to be able to join our lifesaving anti-venom program, we can only milk the male funnel web spiders because of the presence of the atracotoxin in their venom.”
It can take up to 150-200 milkings to create a single vial of anti-venom. The Australian Reptile Park relies on spider donations to create life-saving anti-venom from its male funnel-webs, which are milked for venom extracted when they strike and bite. The fangs of a large funnel-web can pierce a human fingernail.
Colossus and Herculeshave also contributed to the program, which saves up to 300 lives annually. Since its inception in 1981, there has not been a fatality in Australia from a funnel-web spider bite.
Collecting a spider can be “simple and safe when done correctly”, Teni said in the video.
“All you need is a smooth jar and a long-handled spoon. Place the jar in front of the spider and gently encourage it into the jar. Pop the lid on and get it to one of our nearest drop-off locations.”
The Sydney funnel-web spider (Atrax robustus) is predominantly found in forested areas and suburban gardens from Sydney, Australia’s most populous city, to the coastal city of Newcastle in the north and the Blue Mountains to the west.
