''Zodarion rubidum'' is a

spider Spiders ( order Araneae) are air-breathing arthropods that have eight legs, chelicerae with fangs generally able to inject venom, and spinnerets that extrude silk. They are the largest order of arachnids and rank seventh in total species ...

species of the family

Zodariidae 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 sub ...

. Like most Zodariidae, ''Z. rubidum'' is an ant-eating spider. It resembles ants structurally and behaviorally. ''Z. rubidum'' specifically mimics red ants, such as ''

Myrmica sabuleti ''Myrmica sabuleti'' is a species of ant in the genus ''Myrmica''. The species is indigenous to Europe, and most colonies are polygynous. Caterpillars of the large blue butterfly (''Phengaris arion'') parasitism, parasitically prey on this ant. T ...

''. It often feeds on '' Tetramorium caespitum'' or '' Lasius platythorax''. ''Zodarion rubidum'' is up to 5mm in size. Like many other zodariid spiders, it moves across open ground in the evening and at night.

Distribution

''Zodarion rubidum'' originally comes from southwestern

France France (), officially the French Republic ( ), is a country primarily located in Western Europe. It also comprises of Overseas France, overseas regions and territories in the Americas and the Atlantic Ocean, Atlantic, Pacific Ocean, Pac ...

, but has spread during the last few decades into central

Europe Europe is a large peninsula conventionally considered a continent in its own right because of its great physical size and the weight of its history and traditions. Europe is also considered a Continent#Subcontinents, subcontinent of Eurasia ...

, and has been introduced to the

U.S. The United States of America (U.S.A. or USA), commonly known as the United States (U.S. or US) or America, is a country Continental United States, primarily located in North America. It consists of 50 U.S. state, states, a Washington, D.C., ...

and

Canada Canada is a country in North America. Its ten provinces and three territories extend from the Atlantic Ocean to the Pacific Ocean and northward into the Arctic Ocean, covering over , making it the world's second-largest country by tot ...

References

* Pekar, S. & Kral, J. (2002) Mimicry complex in two central European zodariid spiders (Araneae: Zodariidae): how ''Zodarion'' deceives ants. ''Biological Journal of the Linnean Society'' 75:517–532
Abstract
rubidum Spiders of Europe Spiders of North America Spiders described in 1914 {{Zodariidae-stub