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 new bigger and more dangerous version of the world's deadliest spider, the funnel web, has been identified in the land down under – and it even has longer fangs and more venom

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.

A larger, more venomous, longer-fanged species of one of the world’s deadliest spiders has been discovered by scientists in Australia...

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.

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

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

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.