Ant spider

Ant spiders are members of the family Zodariidae. They are small to medium-sized eight-eyed spiders found in all tropical and subtropical regions of South America, Africa, Madagascar, Australia-New Guinea, New Zealand, Arabia, and the Indian subcontinent.

Most species are daytime hunters and live together with ants, mimicking their behavior and sometimes even their chemical traits. Although little is known about most zodariids, members of the genus Zodarion apparently feed only on ants; a number of other genera in the family are apparently also ant (or termite) specialists.

Genera

, this family includes ninety genera and 1,325 species:

• Acanthinozodium <small>, 1966</small> – Africa, Asia
• Akyttara <small>, 1987</small> – Africa, Vietnam
• Amphiledorus <small>Jocqué & Bosmans, 2001</small> – Algeria, Morocco, Tunisia, Portugal, Spain
• Antillorena <small>Jocqué, 1991</small> – Caribbean, Brazil, Colombia
• Asceua <small>Thorell, 1887</small> – Africa, Asia, Australia
• Aschema <small>Jocqué, 1991</small> – Madagascar
• Asteron <small>Jocqué, 1991</small> – Australia
• Australutica <small>Jocqué, 1995</small> – South Africa, Australia
• Ballomma <small>Jocqué & Henrard, 2015</small> – South Africa
• Basasteron <small>Baehr, 2003</small> – Australia
• Caesetius <small>Simon, 1893</small> – Southern Africa
• Cambonilla <small>Jocqué, 2019</small> – Cambodia, Laos
• Capheris <small>Simon, 1893</small> – Africa, India
• Cavasteron <small>Baehr & Jocqué, 2000</small> – Australia
• Chariobas <small>Simon, 1893</small> – Africa
• Chilumena <small>Jocqué, 1995</small> – Australia
• Cicynethus <small>Simon, 1910</small> – Southern Africa
• Colimarena <small>Jocqué & Baert, 2021</small> – Mexico
• Cryptothele <small>L. Koch, 1872</small> – Indonesia, Singapore, India, Sri Lanka, Oceania
• Cybaeodamus <small>Mello-Leitão, 1938</small> – South America
• Cydrela <small>Thorell, 1873</small> – Africa, China, Thailand, Vietnam, Yemen
• Cyrioctea <small>Simon, 1889</small> – Namibia, South Africa, Australia, Argentina, Chile
• Diores <small>Simon, 1893</small> – Africa
• Dusmadiores <small>Jocqué, 1987</small> – Tanzania, Uganda, Western Africa, Yemen
• Epicratinus <small>Jocqué & Baert, 2005</small> – Bolivia, Brazil, Guyana
• Euasteron <small>Baehr, 2003</small> – Australia
• Euryeidon <small>Dankittipakul & Jocqué, 2004</small> – China, Thailand
• Forsterella <small>Jocqué, 1991</small> – New Zealand
• Habronestes <small>L. Koch, 1872</small> – Australia
• Heliconilla <small>Dankittipakul, Jocqué & Singtripop, 2012</small> – China, Southeast Asia
• Heradida <small>Simon, 1893</small> – Ethiopia, Tanzania, Namibia, South Africa
• Heradion <small>Dankittipakul & Jocqué, 2004</small> – China, Southeast Asia
• Hermippus <small>Simon, 1893</small> – Africa, India, Sri Lanka
• Hetaerica <small>Rainbow, 1916</small> – Australia
• Holasteron <small>Baehr, 2004</small> – Australia
• Indozodion <small>Ovtchinnikov, 2006</small> – Afghanistan, Pakistan
• Ishania <small>Chamberlin, 1925</small> – Costa Rica, Guatemala, Honduras, Mexico
• Lachesana <small>Strand, 1932</small> – Egypt, Asia, Cyprus, Greece
• Laminion <small>Sankaran, Caleb & Sebastian, 2020</small> – India
• Leprolochus <small>Simon, 1893</small> – Trinidad, Panama, South America
• Leptasteron <small>Baehr & Jocqué, 2001</small> – Australia
• Leviola <small>Miller, 1970</small> – Angola
• Lutica <small>Marx, 1891</small> – United States
• Malayozodarion <small>Ono & Hashim, 2008</small> – Malaysia
• Mallinella <small>Strand, 1906</small> – Africa, Asia, Australia, Papua New Guinea, Solomon Islands
• Mallinus <small>Simon, 1893</small> – South Africa
• Masasteron <small>Baehr, 2004</small> – Australia
• Mastidiores <small>Jocqué, 1987</small> – Kenya
• Microdiores <small>Jocqué, 1987</small> – Burundi, Malawi, Tanzania
• Minasteron <small>Baehr & Jocqué, 2000</small> – Australia
• Murphydrela <small>Jocqué & , 2022</small> – Democratic Republic of the Congo, Eastern Africa
• Neostorena <small>Rainbow, 1914</small> – Australia
• Nostera <small>Jocqué, 1991</small> – Australia
• Nosterella <small>Baehr & Jocqué, 2017</small> – Australia
• Notasteron <small>Baehr, 2005</small> – Australia
• Omucukia <small>Koçak & Kemal, 2008</small> – Madagascar
• Palaestina <small>O. Pickard-Cambridge, 1872</small> – Egypt, Israel, Lebanon, Turkey, Cyprus, Greece
• Palfuria <small>Simon, 1910</small> – Africa
• Palindroma <small>Jocqué & Henrard, 2015</small> – DR Congo, Malawi, Tanzania
• Parazodarion <small>Ovtchinnikov, Ahmad & Gurko, 2009</small> – Asia
• Pax <small>, 1990</small> – Western Asia
• Pentasteron <small>Baehr & Jocqué, 2001</small> – Australia
• Phenasteron <small>Baehr & Jocqué, 2001</small> – Australia
• Platnickia <small>Jocqué, 1991</small> – Argentina, Chile
• Procydrela <small>Jocqué, 1999</small> – South Africa
• Psammoduon <small>Jocqué, 1991</small> – Namibia, South Africa
• Psammorygma <small>Jocqué, 1991</small> – Namibia, South Africa
• Pseudasteron <small>Jocqué & Baehr, 2001</small> – Australia
• Ranops <small>Jocqué, 1991</small> – Tanzania, Southern Africa
• Rotundrela <small>Jocqué, 1999</small> – South Africa
• Selamia <small>Simon, 1873</small> – Algeria, Morocco, Tunisia, Italy, Western Mediterranean
• Spinasteron <small>Baehr, 2003</small> – Australia
• Spinozodium <small>Zamani & Marusik, 2022</small> – Tajikistan
• Storena <small>Walckenaer, 1805</small> – Ethiopia, Indonesia, Myanmar, Australia, New Caledonia, New Guinea, Vanuatu, Argentina, Ecuador, Venezuela
• Storenomorpha <small>Simon, 1884</small> – China, Southeast Asia, India
• Storosa <small>Jocqué, 1991</small> – Australia
• Subasteron <small>Baehr & Jocqué, 2001</small> – Australia
• Suffascar <small>Henrard & Jocqué, 2017</small> – Madagascar
• Suffasia <small>Jocqué, 1991</small> – India, Nepal, Sri Lanka
• Suffrica <small>Henrard & Jocqué, 2015</small> – Kenya, Tanzania
• Systenoplacis <small>Simon, 1907</small> – Africa
• Tenedos <small>O. Pickard-Cambridge, 1897</small> – Central America, South America
• Thaumastochilus <small>Simon, 1897</small> – South Africa
• Tropasteron <small>Baehr, 2003</small> – Australia
• Tropizodium <small>Jocqué & Churchill, 2005</small> – China, Thailand, India, Nepal, Hawaii, Australia, French Polynesia, Bali. Introduced to Réunion
• Trygetus <small>Simon, 1882</small> – Djibouti, Egypt, Morocco, Asia
• Workmania <small>Dankittipakul, Jocqué & Singtripop, 2012</small> – Southeast Asia
• Zillimata <small>Jocqué, 1995</small> – Australia
• Zodariellum <small>Andreeva & Tystshenko, 1968</small> – Asia, Russia, Tadjikistan
• Zodarion <small>Walckenaer, 1826</small> – North Africa, Asia, Europe, United States

See also

• Myrmarachne, a genus of ant-mimicking spiders in the family Salticidae

References

External links