pirate spider

arachnid
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Also known as: Mimetidae, spider-hunting spider
Also called:
spider-hunting spider

pirate spider, any member of the family Mimetidae (order Araneida), noted for its habit of eating other spiders. The approximately 100 species are distributed worldwide. They are characterized by a row of sharp bristles on the first pair of legs. Pirate spiders do not build nests or webs. They move slowly on low plants or among leaf litter.