ROMSO Cyprus Knowledge Base

Zoropsidae: A Family of Cribellate Araneomorph Spiders

Zoropsidae, commonly referred to as false wolf spiders due to their physical similarity to wolf spiders, is a family of cribellate araneomorph spiders first described by Philipp Bertkau in 1882. They can be distinguished from wolf spiders by their two rows of eyes that are more equal in size than those of Lycosidae.

The family consists of approximately 183 species, distributed across various countries including the Mediterranean area, Japan, Yemen, South Africa, and Australia. Zoropsid spiders have eight eyes arranged differently than other families in Lycosoidea, with the cephalic region on which they are located being slightly more prominent. The body color represents different shades of brown with darker spots, dark brown or black.

Zoropsidae is a widespread family, found almost everywhere except for the northern parts of Eurasia and North America. They inhabit various habitats, including country houses, where their eight eyes make them quite common. Despite being spiders that hunt during the day well hidden in vegetation, little is known about their biology.

The genera recognized within Zoropsidae include Akamasia Bosselaers, 2002 from Cyprus; Anachemmis Chamberlin, 1919 from USA and Mexico; Austrotengella Raven, 2012 from Australia; Birrana Raven & Stumkat, 2005 from Australia; Cauquenia Piacentini, Ramírez & others from Chile and Tanzania. Other genera include Devendra Lehtinen, 1967 from Sri Lanka; Griswoldia Dippenaar-Schoeman & Jocqué, 1997 from South Africa; Huntia Gray & Thompson, 2001 from Australia; Kilyana Raven & Stumkat, 2005 from Australia; and Phanotea Simon, 1896 from South Africa.

Zoropsidae is also known for its unique morphology, with the eyes being relatively equal in size and placed in two rows. The cephalic region on which they are located is slightly more prominent, giving them a distinctive appearance compared to other families in Lycosoidea. These spiders possess cribellum, a specialized structure used for web-spinning.

The family has undergone significant changes over the years, with some sources indicating that Tengellidae and Zorocratidae were previously included within Zoropsidae