Zorocratid spiders are uncommon, somewhat wolf spider-like, wandering spiders. The eye arrangement is not like that of wolf spiders as the posterior eyes are not enlarged and the eyes are in two rows. Little is known of their biology, but they include about 20 species in 5 genera found primarily in Africa, Madagascar, and North America. The North American species all belong to the genus Zorocrates. The genus Uduba is known only from Madagascar. The odd distribution seems to indicate a connection with continental drift and the family was apparently broken up with the final separation of Africa and the Americas.
External link
Platnick, N.I. 2003. World Spider Catalog (http://research.amnh.org/entomology/spiders/catalog81-87/index.html)
Spiders have eight legs compared to the insects' six, and their eyes (usually eight) are single lenses rather than compound eyes like those of most insects.
The spider's respiratory anatomy is based on a tracheal system, with each opening to the trachea as an extension of an outer pore reaching from the spider abdomen, protected by spiracles which are pores in the spider exoskeleton, composed of chitin.
Spiders often use elaborate mating rituals (especially in the visually advanced jumping spiders) to allow the male to approach close enough to inseminate the female without triggering a predatory response.
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