Aname species
Black Wishbone Spider Identification in Australia
Genus-level guide to dark Aname wishbone spiders: mainland Australian burrow dwellers whose deep silk-lined tube may branch into a hidden escape arm.
Painful but usually not life-threatening“Black wishbone spider” is a useful field label for dark members of the Australian genus Aname, not a single species identification. A Western Australian Museum expert used the name for a wandering Aname male near Mandurah but stressed that species identification was impossible from the photograph alone. That caution matters nationally: Aname occurs across mainland Australia, may contain more than 300 species, and a 2025 revision of subtropical and tropical eastern Australia treated 68 species and named 55 new ones. Start with a robust ground-dwelling mygalomorph, an open silk-lined burrow and a mature male wandering in the right conditions. Do not promise a species from black colour, a map pin or the word “wishbone”.
Quick identification
- Robust mygalomorph body with downward-moving fangs, substantial legs and a low ground-running stance
- Dark brown to black overall; some Aname species also carry bronze, gold or silver iridescent hairs
- Open silk-lined soil burrow that may be deep, with a shorter hidden side branch used as an escape chute
- Mature male may have enlarged palps and a spur on the first leg, and may wander instead of remaining at a burrow
- Mainland Australian locality supports Aname, but the exact species is usually a specialist identification
What to check next
Photograph the spider from above and the side without touching it, include the front legs and palps when naturally visible, add a body-only scale, and record locality, date, weather and the complete burrow entrance. Never dig out a female or open the hidden branch to prove the wishbone shape.
When to seek medical help
A Western Australian Museum expert describes black wishbone spiders as not dangerous, while still advising caution around any large spider. No reliable clinical series covering this very diverse genus was found, so “not considered dangerous” is not a promise that a bite will be painless or symptom-free. For a clearly witnessed ordinary spider bite, wash with soap and water and apply a wrapped cold pack. Call the Poisons Information Centre on 13 11 26 or seek medical advice for significant or persistent pain, spreading swelling, vomiting, headache or other illness; call 000 for collapse, breathing difficulty or anaphylaxis. If a dark eastern Australian spider could be a funnel-web or mouse spider, call 000, keep the person still and use pressure immobilisation.
Where it is usually seen
Deep silk-lined burrows in mainland Australian soils, including dry woodland, shrubland, semi-arid country, tropical and subtropical ground, gardens and bushland edges. Individual Aname species may be highly localised even though the genus is widespread. Females remain burrow-associated; mature males are the usual wandering encounters.