The Thomisidae are a family of spiders, including about 175 genera and over 2,100 species. The common name crab spider is often linked to species in this family, but is also applied loosely to many other families of spiders. Many members of this family are also known as flower spiders or flower crab spiders.
Matley Bog is an ancient woodland bog in the New Forest, Hampshire, England.
The Japanese spider crab is a species of marine crab that lives in the waters around Japan. It has the largest leg span of any arthropod. They go through three main larval stages along with a prezoeal stage in order to grow to their great size. The genus Macrocheira contains multiple species. Two fossil species of this genus have been found, Macrocheira ginzanensis and Macrocheira yabei, both from the Miocene of Japan. The diverse taxonomic history is an important part of what these creatures are and how they evolved to be what they are today. These creatures are not isolated however, as they are the subject of fishery and are considered a delicacy. Conservation efforts are being put forth to protect these creatures and their population from the dangers of overfishing.
Misumena vatia is a species of crab spider with a holarctic distribution. In North America, it is called the goldenrod crab spider or flower (crab) spider, as it is commonly found hunting in goldenrod sprays and milkweed plants. They are called crab spiders because of their unique ability to walk sideways as well as forwards and backwards. Both males and females of this species progress through several molts before reaching their adult sizes, though females must molt more to reach their larger size. Females can grow up to 10 mm (0.39 in) while males are quite small, reaching 5 mm (0.20 in) at most. Misumena vatia are yellow or white, and have the ability to change between these two colors based on their surroundings. They have a complex visual system, with eight eyes, that they rely on for prey capture and for their color-changing abilities. Sometimes, if Misumena vatia consume colored prey, the spider itself will take on that color.
Runcinia is a genus of crab spiders that was first described by Eugène Louis Simon in 1875. The former R. elongata is a synonym of Thomisus elongatus.
Platythomisus is a genus of flattened crab spiders from Africa and Southern Asia.
Thomisus is a genus of crab spiders with around 150 species described. The genus includes species that vary widely in their ecology, with some that ambush predators that feed on insects visiting flowers. Like several other genera in the family Thomisidae, they are sometimes referred to as flower crab spiders, from their crab-like motion and their way of holding their front legs, reminiscent of a crab spreading its claws as a threat.
Thomisus onustus is a crab spider belonging to the genus Thomisus. These spiders are found across Europe, North Africa, and parts of the Middle East and Asia. T. onustus reside in flowers in lowland vegetation. Females are distinguished by their larger size and ability to change color between white, yellow, and pink as a means of matching flower color. This cryptic mimicry allows them to both evade predators and enhance insect prey capture abilities. Males are smaller, more slender, and drab in coloration, usually green or brown. T. onustus is also distinguished from other relatives by its distinct life cycle patterns in which spiderlings emerge in either late summer or early spring. Furthermore, T. onustus have developed a mutualistic relationship with host plants where spiders feed on and/or deter harmful florivores while benefiting from the plant’s supply of pollen and nectar, which T. onustus spiders are able to use as food sources, especially during periods of low insect prey abundance.
Misumenoides formosipes is a species of crab spiders (Thomisidae), belonging to the genus Misumenoides. The species' unofficial common name is white banded crab spider, which refers to a white line that runs through the plane of their eyes. This species is a sit-and-wait predator that captures pollinators as they visit the inflorescences on which the spider sits. The spider has strong front legs which are used to seize prey. The female spider is much larger than the male. The pattern of markings on females is variable and the overall color of the body can change between white and yellow dependent on the color of their surroundings. The color pattern for males, which does not change in their lifetime, differs from females in that the four front legs of males are darker and the abdomen is gold. The spider can be found throughout the United States. Males search for sedentary females within a heterogeneous habitat and guard them until they are sexually mature to reproduce.
Dipogon variegatus is a pompilid spider wasp in the subfamily Pepsinae from the Palearctic.
Ozyptila trux, the yellow leaflitter crab spider, is a crab spider species with Palearctic distribution.
Bassaniodes robustus is a ground crab spider species found from Europe to Central Asia.
T. spectabilis may refer to:
Thomisus granulifrons is a species of spiders of the genus Thomisus. It is native to India and Sri Lanka.
Ansiea is a genus of crab spiders that was first described by Pekka T. Lehtinen in 2004. As of June 2020 it contains two species found in Africa and Saudi Arabia: A. buettikeri and A. tuckeri.
Sicarius thomisoides is a species of spider in the family Sicariidae, found in Chile. It is the type species of the genus Sicarius. Its correct name has been the source of confusion. It has often been known by the synonym Sicarius terrosus, a name which has also often been used incorrectly for other species.
Thomisus spectabilis, also known as the white crab spider or Australian crab spider, is a small spider found in Australia and far east Asia.
