Anzacia gemmea
Silvery Vagabond Spider Identification in Australia
Anzacia gemmea is a ground spider recorded from New Zealand and Phillip Island near Norfolk Island; it is not a confirmed mainland-wide species.
Usually low risk; avoid handlingAbout Silvery vagabond spider
The silvery vagabond name refers to Anzacia gemmea, a gnaphosid ground spider. Geography is the first check. The World Spider Catalog lists New Zealand and an Australian Phillip Island record. The 1995 revision locates that record near Norfolk Island, not at the Victorian island with the similar name. Mainland Australian Anzacia include other species.
The revision reports specimens from litter and beneath a stone in New Zealand, and an island specimen series. Those records support a ground-hunting comparison, not a claim that every small silvery spider is A. gemmea. Adult reproductive structures distinguish it from closely related species; silver or grey colour alone cannot do so. Photograph the body, rear spinnerets and surrounding habitat if visible without handling. If you found a similar spider on the mainland, start with the broader ground-spider guide. This profile retains the island record in the identifier and keeps it separate from the mainland state choices.
Identification limit: this guide is a comparison aid. A name match in the identifier does not establish a species record.
Compare similar spiders
Sources and further reading
- World Spider Catalog: Anzacia gemmea
- Ovtsharenko and Platnick: Anzacia revision, page 13
- Healthdirect: spider-bite first aid
Reviewed 21 September 2026. Identification guide; not a confirmed species diagnosis.
Quick identification
- Check the island locality before the appearance
- Small ground-spider body form
- No orb web used for hunting
- Adult microscopic features needed to confirm Anzacia gemmea
What to check next
Photograph the whole spider and its surroundings without disturbing it. Use the clues together; a close match is not a confirmed species identification.
When to seek medical help
For a suspected bite, contact the Poisons Information Centre on 13 11 26. Call 000 for breathing difficulty, collapse or other severe symptoms. Do not wait for an online identification.
Where it is usually seen
New Zealand and the documented Phillip Island locality near Norfolk Island. Australian mainland occurrence should not be inferred from the common name.