A ustralian scientists officially confirmed the existence of a new venomous funnel-web spider species, named Big Boy (Atrax christenseni), discovered near Newcastle, 170 kilometer

Scientists from Australia and Germany have classified a new, highly venomous species of spider, Atrax christenseni, known as Big Boy. It is very large and highly venomous, with bites that can be fatal.

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 larger and more venomous species of one of the world's deadliest spiders has been confirmed by Australian scientists. Nicknamed 'big boy', it can grow up to 9cm (3.54 inches) compared with 5cm (1.97 inches) for the more common Sydney funnel-web.

Scientists in Australia have discovered a spider that they've unironically nicknamed "Big Boy." This arachnid is a larger, more venomous version of the Sydney funnel web, known to be one of the world's deadliest spiders.

“Big boy” funnel-web was initially discovered in the early 2000s, but has now been officially confirmed by Australian scientists. The new huge variation was named Atrax christenseni in honour of the discovery of the creature in Newcastle - which is over 100 miles from Sydney.

The deadly 3.54-inch-long spider Atrax christenseni is among the most dangerously venomous spiders for humans.

Not everybody would be thrilled about having a newly discovered, plus-size species of deadly spider named after them—but not everybody is as big a fan of Sydney funnel-web spiders as Kane Christensen.

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.