Pirate-spider
Guides
Ero canionis
pirate spider
Ero canionis is a species of pirate spider in the family Mimetidae, described by Chamberlin and Ivie in 1935. The species is known from North America, with confirmed records in the United States and Canada. As a member of the pirate spider family, it is presumed to exhibit the characteristic predatory behavior of attacking other spiders, though specific details for this species remain limited.
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
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 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.