Although its venom is the deadliest in the world, no one in Australia has died of a funnel-web bite since the introduction of an antivenom in 1981, despite the 30 to 40 recorded funnel-web bites every year. This is because the antivenom is an excellently effective treatment – but the new discovery could help tweak it.

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

There are a staggering 43,000 species of spiders, and among them, the Sydney funnel-web is considered the most dangerous - with one bite able to kill a toddler

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.

A massive new subspecies of Australia's funnel-web spider, the deadliest in the world, has been discovered by scientists in the eastern city of Newcastle.