Araneophagy
Guides
Gardena
thread-legged bug
Gardena is a genus of thread-legged assassin bugs in the subfamily Emesinae, tribe Emesini. It is the second-largest genus in its tribe, with 46 described species. Members of this genus are characterized by their elongated, slender bodies and raptorial forelegs adapted for capturing prey. The genus was established by Dohrn in 1859.
Metaltella
Metaltella is a genus of South American spiders in the family Desidae (formerly Amphinectidae), first described by Cândido Firmino de Mello-Leitão in 1931. The genus contains six species distributed across Argentina, Brazil, Chile, Peru, and Uruguay. One species, Metaltella simoni, has been introduced to North America and is now established in the southeastern United States and Canada. Members of this genus are hacklemesh weavers that construct webs with retreats. The genus is notable for its intertidal ecology in its native range and its successful establishment as an introduced species in North America.
Metaltella simoni
South American Toothed Hacklemesh Weaver
Metaltella simoni is a small hacklemesh weaver spider native to South America (Argentina, Uruguay, and Brazil), introduced to North America through human commerce. First recorded in Louisiana in 1944, it has become established in the southeastern United States and coastal southern California, with subsequent records in Canada. The species builds sheet webs with a retreat and exhibits distinctive behaviors including leaving the retreat when threatened, which increases vulnerability to predation.
Mimetidae
Pirate spiders
Pirate spiders (Mimetidae) are a family of araneomorph spiders renowned for their specialized araneophagic behavior—they hunt and feed on other spiders rather than building webs to capture prey. Members of this family employ aggressive mimicry, infiltrating the webs of cobweb weavers, orb weavers, and other spiders, then subduing their hosts with spider-specific venom. The family contains approximately 200 species across 12 genera worldwide, with highest diversity in the Neotropics. North America hosts 18 described species in three genera, with another ten species awaiting formal description. These small spiders (typically 3–7 mm body length) are characterized by long leg spines and distinctive eye arrangements.
Mimetus
Pirate spiders, Cannibal spiders
Mimetus is a genus of pirate spiders in the family Mimetidae, comprising approximately 71 species distributed worldwide. These small arachnids (3–7 mm body length) are obligate spider predators, employing specialized hunting tactics to infiltrate webs of other spiders and kill them through leg bites. They exhibit distinctive morphology including globular abdomens with curved bristle-like hairs and elongated anterior legs. The genus is recognized for its ecological role as an intraguild predator and its convergent resemblance to comb-footed spiders (Theridiidae).
Mimetus eutypus
pirate spider
Mimetus eutypus is a small araneomorph spider in the family Mimetidae, commonly known as pirate spiders or cannibal spiders. The species was described by Chamberlin & Ivie in 1935 and is known from the United States. Like other mimetids, it is an araneophagic predator that infiltrates the webs of other spiders rather than building its own. The species was formerly placed in the genus Reo.
Mimetus hesperus
pirate spider
Mimetus hesperus is a species of pirate spider in the family Mimetidae, described by Chamberlin in 1923. It is found in the United States. Pirate spiders are specialized araneophagic predators that infiltrate the webs of other spiders to hunt them.
Mimetus notius
Reticulated Pirate Spider
Mimetus notius is a species of pirate spider in the family Mimetidae, described by Chamberlin in 1923. It is found in the United States and is commonly known as the Reticulated Pirate Spider. Like other mimetids, it is an araneophagic predator that infiltrates the webs of other spiders. Specific details about its biology and ecology remain limited in available literature.
Mimetus puritanus
Common Pirate Spider, Pirate Spider
Mimetus puritanus is a small araneophagous spider in the family Mimetidae, commonly known as the Common Pirate Spider. It is the most frequently encountered pirate spider species in the eastern United States. Unlike web-building spiders, M. puritanus infiltrates the webs of other spiders—particularly cobweb weavers and orb weavers—to prey upon them. The species exhibits specialized predatory adaptations including fused jaws that restrict gape width, leading it to attack prey spiders by biting their legs sequentially. Adults measure 3–7 mm in body length and are primarily nocturnal.
Mimetus tillandsiae
Mimetus tillandsiae is a species of pirate spider in the family Mimetidae, first described by Archer in 1941. The species is part of a genus known for araneophagic (spider-eating) behavior, infiltrating webs of other spiders to prey upon them. Like other mimetids, it likely exhibits specialized predatory adaptations including modified leg spines and venom effective against other spiders.
Neospintharus
Neospintharus is a genus of comb-footed spiders in the family Theridiidae, subfamily Argyrodinae. First described by Exline in 1950, it was synonymized with Argyrodes in 1962 but revalidated in 2004. Phylogenetic studies confirm it as sister group to Rhomphaea within monophyletic Argyrodinae. The genus comprises free-living species that are not kleptoparasitic, distinguishing them from other Argyrodinae genera.
Rhomphaea
Stretched Thief Spiders
Rhomphaea is a genus of comb-footed spiders (Theridiidae) characterized by their distinctive elongated, stick-like bodies and specialized araneophagous predatory behavior. These small spiders (4–5 mm) are found worldwide and are notable for their aggressive mimicry tactics, using triangular nets to capture other spiders on their own webs or by invading the webs of other species. The genus is closely related to Ariamnes and is the sister group to Neospintharus within the subfamily Argyrodinae.
Scytodes
spitting spiders
Scytodes is a globally distributed genus of spitting spiders distinguished by their unique prey-capture mechanism: projecting a sticky, glue-like secretion from their fangs to immobilize prey. The genus contains approximately 239 species, with Scytodes thoracica being the most widely distributed. Members exhibit diverse social structures ranging from solitary to communal-territorial and fully social species.
Scytodes globula
Chilean tiger spider, araña tigre, long-legged spider, spitting spider
Scytodes globula is a predatory spitting spider (family Scytodidae) native to South America. It is notable for its distinctive hunting method: projecting an extremely sticky substance from enlarged venom glands to immobilize prey. The species has gained recognition as a documented predator of the medically significant Chilean recluse spider (Loxosceles laeta), though experimental evidence indicates predation success varies with prey behavior. It is primarily nocturnal and commonly associated with human dwellings.
Stenolemus
Spider Assassin Bugs
Stenolemus is a genus of thread-legged assassin bugs (Emesinae) characterized by specialized araneophagy—predation on spiders. Species in this genus exhibit diverse hunting strategies, including web invasion and exploitation of spider draglines as prey location cues. The genus has a broad geographic distribution spanning Australia, Asia, and the Pacific region. Multiple species have been described, with S. bituberus and S. giraffa being the most extensively studied for their predatory behavior and life history.