Pirate  Spiders  -  Family:   Mimetidae
      Pirate spiders can be found in forested areas around the world in temperate to warm climates.  A smallish family of 160 species in 8 genera currently, 6 former genera have been re-assigned to other families and 4 genera were found to be synonymous with others.  They were originally named Ctenophoridae by the British naturalist John Blackwall in 1870 but this name was already in use at the time for a family (now a subfamily) of flies.  The current name was proposed by Eugene Simon in 1881.  They are reasonably common as fossils with 13 species known, the oldest having been dated at 38 to 34 My old.  Up to ten species may be found in the Northern Rivers, representing two genera.  The Australian share of this family comprises 29 species, all but one from the mostly endemic Genus: Australomimetus.
      Relatively slow moving spiders they are unique among spiders in that their diet consists mostly of othe spiders and they have developed most interesting hunting methods to fulfil their needs.   They are capable of tricking other spiders into believing they have caught an insect in their web and when these spiders go to investigate they may end up being bitten by the Pirate Spider who then patiently waits for the venom to take effect prior to enjoying it's meal.  This aggression towards other spiders does however have implications for males trying to mate with their female counterparts. Cannibalism is common and so the male needs to tread carefully. In some species the males have evolved really long appendages with which it delivers the sperm package. ​
      Mimetids are commonly small to medium-sized spiders ranging between 3 to 7 mm in bodylength.   They do not build webs to catch insect, those that construct a web use it mostly for shelter.  The eggsacs they make are nearly spherical and the sac itself is usually woven into a firm and closed cover for the eggs and upon completion the whole sac  is  covered in loose silk fibres which gives it a wooly appearance.  Many species attach the sac to a silk stalk suspended from whatever is in reach, others may keep it on the ground with them.  Studies have suggested that in some species, there is some level of maternal care taking place.
      Burnett Range Pirate Spider  -  Australomimetus burnetti     (likely occurrence)
      Catullus Pirate Spider  -  Australomimetus catulli     (likely occurrence)
      Australomimetus childersiensis
      Australomimetus kiolensis
      Spotted Pirate Spider  -  Australomimetus maculosus
      Australomimetus pseudomaculosus
      Australomimetus subspinosus
      Australomimetus tasmaniensis
      Triangular Pirate Spider  -  Australomimetus triangulosus
      Ero aphana     (possible occurrence)
Taxonomy:
​​​​​
Phylum:   Arthropoda   (Arthropods)
          > Subphylum:   Chelicerata   (Chelicerates)
                    > Class:   Arachnida   (Arachnids) 
                                        > Order:   Aranea   (Spiders)
                                                  > Suborder:   Araneomorphae   (Typical Spiders)
                                                            > Infraorder:   Entelegynea   (Entelegyne Spiders)
                                                                                > Family:   Mimetidae   (Pirate spiders)
 ​                                                                                                             > Genus:   Australomimetus   (Austrlasian Pirate Spiders)
                                                                                                                        > Species:   A. burnetti - Burnett Range Pirate Spider *
                                                                                                                        > Species:   A. catulli - Catullus Pirate Spider  *
                                                                                                                        > Species:   A. childersiensis
                                                                                                                        > Species:   A. kiolensis
                                                                                                                        > Species:   A. maculosus - Spotted Pirate Spider
                                                                                                                        > Species:   A. pseudomaculosus
                                                                                                                        > Species:   A. subspinosus
                                                                                                                        > Species:   A. tasmaniensis
                                                                                                                        > Species:   A. triangulosus - Triangular Pirate Spider
 ​                                                                                                             > Genus:  Ero
                                                                                                                        > Species:  E. aphana  ^  (probably introduced)

*  =  likely
​^  =  possibly
References  and links:
​
>      Barrantes, G.,  Segura-Hernández, L.,  Solano-Brenes, D.,  (2023).   'A novel prey capture strategy in pirate spiders (Araneae: Mimetidae).'   Animal Behaviour,  ISSN 0003-3472,   doi.org/10.1016/j.anbehav.2023.07.001.
>      Benavides, L.R.,  and  Hormiga, G.,  (2020).   'A morphological and combined phylogenetic analysis of pirate spiders (Araneae, Mimetidae): evolutionary relationships, taxonomy, and character evolution.'   Invertebrate Systematics 34(2): 144-191.   doi:10.1071/IS19032
>      Harms, D.   and  Harvey, M.S. (2009).   'Australian pirates: systematics and phylogeny of the Australasian pirate spiders (Araneae: Mimetidae), with a description of the Western Australian fauna.'   Invertebrate Systematics 23(3): 231-280. doi:10.1071/is08015
>      Heimer, S., (1986).   'Notes on the spider family Mimetidae with description of a new genus from Australia (Arachnida, Araneae).'   Entomologische Abhandlungen, Staatliches Museum für Tierkunde Dresden 49: 113-137.
>      Jackson, R.R. and Whitehouse, M.E.A.,  (1986).   'The biology of New Zealand and Queensland pirate spiders (Araneae, Mimetidae): aggressive mimicry, araneophagy and prey specialization.'   Journal of Zoology, 210: 279-303. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1469-7998.1986.tb03635.x

      https://biodiversity.org.au/afd/taxa/Mimetidae​
​      https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/John_Blackwall
      https://www.mindat.org/taxon-9563.html
​
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