pirate spider

pirate spider (plural pirate spiders)

1. Any spider of the family Mimetidae, which prey on other spiders.
   • 1990, George W. Uetz, “Chapter 4: Prey Selection in Web-Building Spiders and Evolution of Prey Defenses”, in David L. Evans, Justin O. Schmidt, editors, Insect Defenses: Adaptive Mechanisms and Strategies of Prey and Predators, page 117:

     Pirate spiders (Family Mimetidae) use aggressive mimicry in their capture of spiders, by producing vibratory stimuli on webs, thereby inducing a predatory response of the resident.

   • 2003, Astri Leroy, John Leroy, Spiders of Southern Africa, page 35:

     Pirate spiders (family Mimetidae) fall into this category and specialize in preying on web-building spiders, and the occasional free-ranging spider. […] This entices the owner of the web out of hiding, at which point the pirate spider will pin it down with the spines on its legs, and kill it with a fast-acting venom. Pirate spiders also feed on other spiders' eggs and on insects caught in their webs.

   • 2010, Charley Eiseman, Noah Charney, Tracks & Sign of Insects & Other Invertebrates: A Guide to North American Species, page 33:

     Pirate spiders (Mimetidae) suspend fuzzy egg sacs from rocks, twigs, and other objects, or sometimes from the web or retreat of another spider they have preyed on.

• (spider of family Mimetidae): mimetid