Pirate Spiders (Mimetidae)
摘要
Mimetids are an exciting spider family of only 160 species, but they present a highly unusual prey specialization. These are rather small species that occur throughout the world but have a clear distribution focus in the tropics. A hint to their lifestyle is the conspicuous spikiness of the forelegs, which can be used to capture particularly dangerous prey. As the English name “pirate spider” already suggests, mimetids have specialized in attacking and plundering things: namely, other spiders’ webs and the spiders that live within them.