The Thomisidae are a family of spiders, including about 170 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.
Huntsman spiders, members of the family Sparassidae, are known by this name because of their speed and mode of hunting. They are also called giant crab spiders because of their size and appearance. Larger species sometimes are referred to as wood spiders, because of their preference for woody places. In southern Africa the genus Palystes are known as rain spiders or lizard-eating spiders. Commonly, they are confused with baboon spiders from the Mygalomorphae infraorder, which are not closely related.
Selenopidae, also called wall crab spiders, wall spiders and flatties, is a family of nocturnal, free-ranging, araneomorph spiders first described by Eugène Simon in 1897. It contains over 281 species in nine genera, of which Selenops is the most well-known. This family is just one of several families whose English name includes the phrase "crab spider". These spiders are often called "Flatties" due to their flattened dorsal profile. The Afrikaans name for these spiders is "Muurspinnekop," which translates directly to "wall spider." The name Selenopidae comes from the greek moon goddess, Selene, as their eyes resemble the moon.
Xysticus is a genus of ground crab spiders described by C. L. Koch in 1835, belonging to the order Araneae, family Thomisidae. The genus name is derived from the Ancient Greek root xyst, meaning "scraped, scraper".
Bassaniodes robustus is a ground crab spider species found from Europe to Central Asia.
Xysticus cristatus, the common crab spider, is a European spider from the family Thomisidae.
Xysticus elegans, the elegant crab spider, is a species of spiders found in the United States, Canada, and Alaska.
Xysticus gulosus is a species of crab spiders in the family Thomisidae. It is found in North America.
Xysticus pellax is a species of crab spider in the family Thomisidae. It is found in North America.
Xysticus ferox, the brown crab spider, is a species of crab spider in the family Thomisidae. It is found in the USA and Canada.
Spiracme nigromaculatus is a species of crab spider in the family Thomisidae. It is found in North America.
Xysticus triguttatus, the three-banded crab spider, is a species of crab spider in the family Thomisidae. It is found in the United States and Canada.
Xysticus locuples is a species of crab spider in the family Thomisidae. It is found in North America.
Xysticus luctuosus is a species of crab spider in the family Thomisidae. It is found in North America, Europe, Turkey, Caucasus, a range from Russia, and Kazakhstan.
Xysticus luctans is a species of crab spider in the family Thomisidae. It is found in the United States and Canada.
Xysticus fraternus is a species of crab spider in the family Thomisidae. It is found in the United States and Canada.
Xysticus alboniger is a species of ground crab spider in the family Thomisidae. It is found in the United States and Canada.
Xysticus discursans is a species of crab spider in the family Thomisidae. It is found in North America.
Xysticus obscurus is a species of crab spider in the family Thomisidae. It is found in North America, Europe, and a range from Russia.
