The species, named in honor of Newcastle spider enthusiast Kane Christensen, is the largest of three newly identified species of funnel-web spiders.

A Big Boy with a punchy venom Atrax christenseni owes its name to Kane Christensen, a Central Coast spider enthusiast who first brought the Newcastle specimens to researchers’ attention.

They also described a third, and the largest, related funnel-web spider species: Atrax christenseni. They are named after Kane Christensen, the former head of spiders at the Australian Reptile Park.

The new funnel-web species has earned the nickname "Big Boy" and was first discovered in the early 2000s near Newcastle, 170 km (105 miles) north of Sydney, by Kane Christensen, a spider ...

The Latin name for the Big Boy species is derived from the Newcastle spider enthusiast Kane Christensen, who brought it to the attention of the research team.

Spider enthusiast and former Head of Spiders at the Australian Reptile Park Kane Christensen sits near the species named after him (Picture: Reuters) The new species is already one of the ...

BEVERLY HILLS, Calif. (AP) — Many of movies' most sought-after props are going up for auction, including the Rosebud sled from “Citizen Kane,” Macaulay Culkin's knit snow cap from “Home ...

"This particular spider is a lot larger, its venom glands are a lot larger and its fangs are a lot longer," said spider expert Kane Christensen.

The Newcastle funnel-web— Atrax christenseni —was named after spider fan Kane Christensen, who collected a number of the spiders.

Kane Christensen The original single species of Sydney funnel-web is named Atrax robustus, and grows up to 1.6 inches in length.

Spider enthusiast and former head of spiders at the Australian Reptile Park Kane Christensen sits near a new species of Funnel Web Spider named Atrax christenseni, after Christensen's ...