Researchers say they used anatomical and DNA comparisons to study different populations of the Sydney funnel-web spider – one of the world’s deadliest spiders – and found there were three species, only two of which were previously known to science.

A bigger and more dangerous version of the world's deadliest spider has been discovered by boffins in Australia. The Newcastle funnel-web spider was named after the port city, 100 miles north of Sydney,

Scientists in Australia have discovered a ‘giant’ species of Sydney funnel-web spider, one of the world’s deadliest. Nicknamed ‘Big Boy’, the species was originally found by Kane Christensen, a spider enthusiast and ex-head of spiders at the Australian Reptile Park. in the early 2000s near Newcastle, 170 km north of Sydney.

The new funnel-web species has earned the nickname "Big Boy" and was first discovered in the early 2000s near Newcastle, 105 miles north of Sydney, by Kane Christensen, a spider enthusiast and former head of spiders at the Australian Reptile Park.

Atrax christenseni, after noticing differences in spiders from the Newcastle area, marking a significant contribution to arachnology.

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.

A new type of spider, nicknamed the ‘big boy’, has officially been discovered in Australia- and immediately became one of the deadliest arachnids in the world. The Sydney funnel-back spider has held the title of world’s most venomous spider for many years,

"If you are bitten by a funnel-web spider, call an ambulance and go straight to hospital," researcher Geoff Isbister said.

Scientists in Australia have discovered a larger, more venomous species of one of the world's deadliest spiders, the Sydney funnel-web spider.