Aname diversicolor

Aname diversicolor, commonly known as the black wishbone spider, is a burrowing arachnid native to southern Australia. It belongs to the family Anamidae within the mygalomorph group. The species exhibits a primarily black coloration with occasional bluish tones on its underside and features long legs. Its carapace is broad and rounded at the margins, measuring between 6.5 and over 10 millimeters in length.

The spider is distinguished by its unique burrow structure, which forms a Y-shape lined with tightly woven silk. A non-surfacing annex near the burrow entrance provides additional shelter during flooding. Mature males are known to wander in humid conditions during summer, particularly on the Swan Coastal Plain, though they are generally sedentary and remain in their silk-lined burrows.

Ecologically, Aname diversicolor is widespread but not abundant. Males occasionally appear in urban areas during moist summers. Despite its harmless nature, it is often mistaken for the dangerous funnel-web spider due to its size and coloration.

Taxonomically, the species was initially described as Dekana diversicolor by Henry Roughton Hogg in 1902 but later reclassified under the genus Aname, which is endemic to Australia. The type locality, "Deka Station," remains unconfirmed, though it may refer to Blackall in Queensland. A neotype was established near Elliston, South Australia.

The spider's burrow shape inspired its common name, "wishbone spider," due to the Y-shape resembling a wishbone. This trait is considered convergent across Australian mygalomorph genera rather than indicating a shared evolutionary lineage.