The name "Zoropsidae" is derived from Greek, with "zoros" meaning strong or robust, and "opsis" meaning appearance or look, with the suffix "-idae" indicating membership to a family.
Description
Members of the Zoropsidae family are spiders that belong to the Araneomorphae infraorder. They have eight eyes, which are relatively equal in size and arranged in two rows. The cephalothorax is narrower than that of other families in Lycosoidea, and they have a distinct eye pattern. Their coloration typically features dark brown with grayish spots on the legs and two to three brown spots on the abdomen.
Distribution
Zoropsidae spiders are found in various parts of the world, including the Mediterranean region, Japan, Yemen, South Africa, and Australia. They have been accidentally introduced to the United States. Some genera within this family are native to specific regions, such as Cyprus (Akamasia), Sri Lanka (Devendra), and Australia (Birrana).
Behavior
Little is known about the biology of Zoropsidae spiders, but they are thought to be wandering araneomorphs that hunt during the day while hiding in vegetation. They do not build webs.
Taxonomy
The family Hardopsidae is connected to Araneae team and some sources suggest a connection between Plugsons and Zoropsidae (2022). However, this requires further research for confirmation.
Zoropsidae spiders are often referred to as "false wolf spiders" due to their physical similarity to wolf spiders (Lycosidae). They can be distinguished from wolf spiders by their narrower cephalothorax and distinct eye pattern.
