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 specialists.
Genera
, this family includes ninety genera and 1,325 species:Acanthinozodium Denis, 1966 – Africa, AsiaAkyttara Jocqué, 1987 – Africa, VietnamAmphiledorus Jocqué & Bosmans, 2001 – Algeria, Morocco, Tunisia, Portugal, SpainAntillorena Jocqué, 1991 – Caribbean, Brazil, ColombiaAsceua Thorell, 1887 – Africa, Asia, AustraliaAschema Jocqué, 1991 – MadagascarAsteron Jocqué, 1991 – AustraliaAustralutica Jocqué, 1995 – South Africa, AustraliaBallomma Jocqué & Henrard, 2015 – South AfricaBasasteron Baehr, 2003 – AustraliaCaesetius Simon, 1893 – Southern AfricaCambonilla Jocqué, 2019 – Cambodia, LaosCapheris Simon, 1893 – Africa, IndiaCavasteron Baehr & Jocqué, 2000 – AustraliaChariobas Simon, 1893 – AfricaChilumena Jocqué, 1995 – AustraliaCicynethus Simon, 1910 – Southern AfricaColimarena Jocqué & Baert, 2021 – MexicoCryptothele L. Koch, 1872 – Indonesia, Singapore, India, Sri Lanka, OceaniaCybaeodamus Mello-Leitão, 1938 – South AmericaCydrela Thorell, 1873 – Africa, China, Thailand, Vietnam, YemenCyrioctea Simon, 1889 – Namibia, South Africa, Australia, Argentina, ChileDiores Simon, 1893 – AfricaDusmadiores Jocqué, 1987 – Tanzania, Uganda, Western Africa, YemenEpicratinus Jocqué & Baert, 2005 – Bolivia, Brazil, GuyanaEuasteron Baehr, 2003 – AustraliaEuryeidon Dankittipakul & Jocqué, 2004 – China, ThailandForsterella Jocqué, 1991 – New ZealandHabronestes L. Koch, 1872 – AustraliaHeliconilla Dankittipakul, Jocqué & Singtripop, 2012 – China, Southeast AsiaHeradida Simon, 1893 – Ethiopia, Tanzania, Namibia, South AfricaHeradion Dankittipakul & Jocqué, 2004 – China, Southeast AsiaHermippus Simon, 1893 – Africa, India, Sri LankaHetaerica Rainbow, 1916 – AustraliaHolasteron Baehr, 2004 – AustraliaIndozodion Ovtchinnikov, 2006 – Afghanistan, PakistanIshania Chamberlin, 1925 – Costa Rica, Guatemala, Honduras, MexicoLachesana Strand, 1932 – Egypt, Asia, Cyprus, GreeceLaminion Sankaran, Caleb & Sebastian, 2020 – IndiaLeprolochus Simon, 1893 – Trinidad, Panama, South AmericaLeptasteron Baehr & Jocqué, 2001 – AustraliaLeviola Miller, 1970 – AngolaLutica Marx, 1891 – United StatesMalayozodarion Ono & Hashim, 2008 – MalaysiaMallinella Strand, 1906 – Africa, Asia, Australia, Papua New Guinea, Solomon IslandsMallinus Simon, 1893 – South AfricaMasasteron Baehr, 2004 – AustraliaMastidiores Jocqué, 1987 – KenyaMicrodiores Jocqué, 1987 – Burundi, Malawi, TanzaniaMinasteron Baehr & Jocqué, 2000 – AustraliaMurphydrela Jocqué & Russell-Smith, 2022 – Democratic Republic of the Congo, Eastern AfricaNeostorena Rainbow, 1914 – AustraliaNostera Jocqué, 1991 – AustraliaNosterella Baehr & Jocqué, 2017 – AustraliaNotasteron Baehr, 2005 – AustraliaOmucukia Koçak & Kemal, 2008 – MadagascarPalaestina O. Pickard-Cambridge, 1872 – Egypt, Israel, Lebanon, Turkey, Cyprus, GreecePalfuria Simon, 1910 – AfricaPalindroma Jocqué & Henrard, 2015 – DR Congo, Malawi, TanzaniaParazodarion Ovtchinnikov, Ahmad & Gurko, 2009 – AsiaPax Levy, 1990 – Western AsiaPentasteron Baehr & Jocqué, 2001 – AustraliaPhenasteron Baehr & Jocqué, 2001 – AustraliaPlatnickia Jocqué, 1991 – Argentina, ChileProcydrela Jocqué, 1999 – South AfricaPsammoduon Jocqué, 1991 – Namibia, South AfricaPsammorygma Jocqué, 1991 – Namibia, South AfricaPseudasteron Jocqué & Baehr, 2001 – AustraliaRanops Jocqué, 1991 – Tanzania, Southern AfricaRotundrela Jocqué, 1999 – South AfricaSelamia Simon, 1873 – Algeria, Morocco, Tunisia, Italy, Western MediterraneanSpinasteron Baehr, 2003 – AustraliaSpinozodium Zamani & Marusik, 2022 – TajikistanStorena Walckenaer, 1805 – Ethiopia, Indonesia, Myanmar, Australia, New Caledonia, New Guinea, Vanuatu, Argentina, Ecuador, VenezuelaStorenomorpha Simon, 1884 – China, Southeast Asia, IndiaStorosa Jocqué, 1991 – AustraliaSubasteron Baehr & Jocqué, 2001 – AustraliaSuffascar Henrard & Jocqué, 2017 – MadagascarSuffasia Jocqué, 1991 – India, Nepal, Sri LankaSuffrica Henrard & Jocqué, 2015 – Kenya, TanzaniaSystenoplacis Simon, 1907 – AfricaTenedos O. Pickard-Cambridge, 1897 – Central America, South AmericaThaumastochilus Simon, 1897 – South AfricaTropasteron Baehr, 2003 – AustraliaTropizodium Jocqué & Churchill, 2005 – China, Thailand, India, Nepal, Hawaii, Australia, French Polynesia, Bali. Introduced to RéunionTrygetus Simon, 1882 – Djibouti, Egypt, Morocco, AsiaWorkmania Dankittipakul, Jocqué & Singtripop, 2012 – Southeast AsiaZillimata Jocqué, 1995 – AustraliaZodariellum Andreeva & Tystshenko, 1968 – Asia, Russia, TadjikistanZodarion Walckenaer, 1826 – North Africa, Asia, Europe, United States