Mimetidae
Guides
Ero leonina
Ero leonina is a pirate spider in the family Mimetidae, a group known for specializing in preying on other spiders. It occurs in North America, with records from the United States and Canada. Like other mimetids, it is presumed to invade the webs of other spiders and subdue them, though specific behavioral details for this species remain poorly documented.
Ero pensacolae
Ero pensacolae is a species of spider in the family Mimetidae, commonly known as pirate spiders. The species was described by Ivie and Barrows in 1935. The specific epithet "pensacolae" references Pensacola, Florida, suggesting a type locality in the southeastern United States. Members of the genus Ero are specialized predators of other spiders.
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 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 syllepsicus
Mimetus syllepsicus is a species of pirate spider in the family Mimetidae, first described by Hentz in 1832. Like other members of its genus, it is an araneophagic predator that specializes in hunting other spiders rather than building webs to catch prey. The species occurs in North and Middle America, with records from the United States and Mexico. As a mimetid, it exhibits the characteristic predatory behavior of infiltrating the webs of other spiders to ambush and consume them.
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.