55 New to science species of wishbone spider

14 April 2025

A two-year study into the Australian wishbone spiders by Queensland Museum, Western Australian Museum and The University of Western Australia experts has resulted in the description of 55 species new to science, making this one of the most diverse and widely distributed groups of spiders in the country.

The groundbreaking study on the Aname genus of wishbone spiders, included a comprehensive taxonomic revision covering the subtropical and tropical regions of eastern Australia, from northern New South Wales to Cape York Peninsula.

The genus Aname contains spider species that are often strikingly beautiful, with iridescent bronze, gold, or silver hairs covering parts of their body. They make silk-lined burrows in the ground that can be quite deep, and that often have a hidden secondary entrance that probably functions as an ‘escape chute’ to help them avoid predators and other threats.

Wishbone spiders are ‘mygalomorph spiders’ a group that also includes trapdoor spiders, tarantulas, and funnel-web spiders. Wishbone spiders are found across mainland Australia, and there are an estimated 300 species in total, making Aname possibly the most diverse mygalomorph spider genus in the world.

Lead author Dr Jeremy Wilson, who completed the study as part of a Postdoctoral Fellowship funded by the Australian Biological Resources Study (ABRS) National Taxonomy Research Grants Scheme, spent the first 12 months of the project based at Queensland Museum. For the final two years of the Fellowship, he has been based at Western Australian Museum and The University of Western Australia.

As part of the Fellowship, he has worked with colleagues across these institutions to write scientific papers describing a total of 84 species of wishbone spiders, all new to science, over the past 2.5 years.

Dr Wilson said that despite this high number, approximately 60 per cent of Aname species remain undescribed, with many of these located in remote or arid regions of the country.

"With this study, we're not only revealing the immense diversity of wishbone spiders, but we're also shedding light on the incredible biodiversity of Australia's more remote ecosystems,” Dr Wilson said.

“We made some amazing observations about the burrowing behaviour of these secretive spiders on two major field trips in Queensland. Then, in the lab we were able to identify differences in their physical appearance and even in their DNA. We studied all of these lines of evidence to identify which species were new to science”.

“This work is just another contribution towards mapping the amazing richness of Australia's arachnid fauna."

Queensland Museum Principal Scientist and Curator of Arachnology Dr Michael Rix is a Joint Investigator within the project and co-author of the paper. He said the study, which represents the first in a series of major revisions, brings together a wide range of scientific techniques, including detailed morphological analysis, live habitus observations, burrowing biology, and molecular phylogenetics.

“By combining traditional morphological studies using museum collections, with cutting-edge molecular techniques and extensive field work, we are able to uncover the true extent of the diversity in this unique group of spiders,” Dr Rix said.

“The description of 55 species which are new to science is a testament to the richness of Australia’s arachnid fauna and underscores the importance of continued fieldwork and research in these often overlooked regions."

Queensland Museum CEO Dr Jim Thompson said studies like this were crucial for expanding our understanding of Australia's unique biodiversity.

"Hosting Dr Jeremy Wilson at Queensland Museum for the first year of this vital three-year project has been a privilege," Dr Thompson said.

"His research has not only added new specimens to the State Collection, but also resulted in the sorting and description of parts of our museum collections going back decades, providing valuable resources for researchers for years to come.

“This work is a reminder of how much there is still to learn about our unique biodiversity, ensuring that future generations can appreciate the incredible diversity of life that calls Australia home."

This research has also contributed 131 new barcode (COI) sequences from Aname species found in eastern Australia, significantly expanding the molecular phylogeny of the genus.

Among the major findings of this study:

• 55 species of Aname new to science are formally described, including A. mulgana, which occurs throughout the Mulga Lands of south-western Queensland, A. eddieorum, named after the Eddie family who run the ecological consulting company ‘Boobook’, and A. lawrenceae named after Melinda Lawrence who passionately supported this and other research projects in her role as Project Manager.

• 10 previously described species are redescribed and clarified, including A. barrema, A. blackdownensis, and A. camara.

This study, which draws on extensive fieldwork and molecular techniques, significantly advances our understanding of the Aname genus and provides valuable insights into the biodiversity of Australia's arachnid fauna. The findings have important implications for both the scientific community and conservation efforts, as many of these species inhabit some of Australia’s more remote ecosystems.

The paper was recently published in the open access journal European Journal of Taxonomy.

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