Castianeirinae
Guides
Corinnidae
corinnid sac spiders, ground and ant-mimic sac spiders
Corinnidae is a family of araneomorph spiders comprising over 800 species in 71+ genera worldwide. Formerly part of the catch-all family Clubionidae, the group was redefined in 2014 to include only subfamilies Corinninae and Castianeirinae. Members are wandering predators that construct silken sac retreats, with many genera exhibiting ant-mimicry as a defensive strategy. The family includes notable ant-mimicking genera such as Castianeira, Myrmecotypus, Mazax, and Myrmecium.
Myrmecotypus
Myrmecotypus is a genus of ant-mimicking sac spiders in the family Corinnidae, subfamily Castianeirinae. Species exhibit myrmecomorphy—both morphological and behavioral mimicry of ants. The genus was described in 1894 and currently contains fourteen species distributed from the United States to Argentina, with greatest diversity in Central America. Most species are arboreal, though M. mazazoides is ground-dwelling.
Myrmecotypus lineatus
Myrmecotypus lineatus is a species of true spider in the family Corinnidae, subfamily Castianeirinae. It is the only species in the genus Myrmecotypus with a documented occurrence in the United States, making its distribution atypical compared to congeners which are otherwise restricted to the Neotropical region (Mexico to Panamá). The species was described by Emerton in 1909. Very few observations of this spider exist in public databases.