Largest spider venom glands

Spiders of the genus Phoneutria, commonly known as Brazilian wandering spiders, have the largest venom glands of any spider (up to 10.4 x 2.7 mm 0.4 x 0.1 in). Specimens "milked" by electroshock at the Butantan Institute in São Paulo, Brazil, yielded an average dry venom weight of 1.25 mg (0.000044 oz) and a maximum of 8 mg (0.00028 o), the latter amount being enough to kill over 500 mice if injected intravenously. The median lethal dosis for an average-sized man is not known, but as 0.10 mg (0.0000035 oz) is said to seriously endanger human life, the amount must be extremely small.

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