A comparative study of properties and toxic constituents of funnel web spider (Atrax) venoms.

The crude venoms of male and female Sydney funnel web spiders, Atrax robustus, were compared by cation-exchange and high-performance liquid chromatography, lethality to new-born mice, polyacrylamide gel isoelectric focusing, immunoelectrophoresis, phospholipase A analysis, effects on the mouse phrenic nerve hemidiaphragm and passive paw oedema in the rat and, except in the case of rat paw oedema, were found to exhibit quite different properties. Polyacrylamide gel isoelectric focusing and high-performance liquid chromatography proved to be suitable for gender and species determination when applied to the venoms of A. formidabilis, A. infensus, A. robustus and A. versutus. These venoms were also compared by lethality, promotion of muscle fasciculation and phospholipase A activity.