ogre-faced spider

arachnid
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Also known as: Deinopidae, Dinopidae
Related Topics:
net-casting spider

ogre-faced spider, (family Deinopidae), small family of spiders so named for the fact that one of their pairs of eyes is unusually large, producing an ogrelike appearance. The spiders primarily occur throughout the tropics. One genus, Deinopis, the net-casting spider, carries a web that is thrown over prey. Other genera include Menneus, the humpbacked spiders, and Asianopis.

Taxonomy

See also list of arachnids.

The Editors of Encyclopaedia BritannicaThis article was most recently revised and updated by Melissa Petruzzello.