Crab Spiders (Thomisidae) - 91 Species, Identification & Facts

Bassaniana floridana

Identification: The anterior eye row is weakly recurved; the anterior legs of male are only slightly mottled.

Bassaniana utahensis

Identification: Epigynum: Palp (better images needed): Distinguishing B. utahensis from C. brunneipes : So I looked at these carefully today, comparing only the males of spiders I think the ID is 100% correct. vs. Here is what I see... for difference

Coriarachne brunneipes

Identification: Easily distinguished from the other species by its relatively uniform color and flat carapace. Where Coriarachne and Bassaniana are both found they can be identified by the hairs on the carapace. See Rod Crawfords comment; "This is ei

Diaea dorsata

Diaea dorsata is one of the smaller crab spiders. Females can grow up to 6 mm, males up to 4 mm. Prosoma (head and thorax area) and legs are green, and the abdomen is yellowish with a red-brown mark. This spider can change its colour to fit its surro

Northern Crab Spider

Mecaphesa asperata

Identification: Dorsum of abdomen off-white with two pairs of longitudinal red bands or rows of spots, sometimes with lateral red band anteriad (Dondale & Rednder, 1978b) --- a "capped" V, with the point of the V at the end of the somewhat angular ab

northeastern flower crab spider

Mecaphesa carletonica

Mecaphesa carletonica is a species of crab spider in the family Thomisidae. It is found in the United States and Canada.

Swift Crab Spider

Mecaphesa celer

Identification: Voucher Specimens: Mature/immature males: Female variations Immature female Palp Epigynum The four spots at the anterior dorsum are a give-away - celer when they form a trapezoid that's wider anteriorly.… Joe Lapp, 8 May, 2012 - 2:28a

Mecaphesa rothi

Mecaphesa rothi is a species of crab spider in the family Thomisidae. It is found in the United States.

Mecaphesa schlingeri

Identification: To paraphrase Schick (see page 120 of reference below): Dorsum of abdomen characteristically marked with broad red stripes including a pair of lateral stripes originating at anterior dorsolateral margin of abdomen and curving ventrad

Modysticus floridanus

Modysticus floridanus (Modysticus floridanus) is a species in the family Thomisidae, commonly known as crab spiders, belonging to the order Araneae (Spiders). This species belongs to the genus Modysticus. As a member of class Arachnida, phylum Arthro

Ozyptila brevipes

Length 2 to 4 mm. A small dark crab spider. Identification of this species “Requires examination at high magnification in good lighting, typically examination of the genitalia." Bee, L., Oxford, G., & Smith, H. (2020). Britain's Spiders: A Field Guid

Ozyptila praticola

Females reach up to 4 mm and males grow up to 3 mm. Both sexes are of a dark reddish brown. Identification of this species "Requires examination at high magnification in good lighting, typically examination of the genitalia." Bee, L., Oxford, G., & S

Ozyptila sanctuaria

Length 2 to 4 mm. A dark crab spider with squat appearance. Identification of this species "Requires examination at high magnification in good lighting, typically examination of the genitalia." Bee, L., Oxford, G., & Smith, H. (2020). Britain's Spide

Ozyptila simplex

Body length male: 2-5mm. Prosoma yellow-brown, legs yellow-brown with femur darker than remaining segments. Opisthosoma yellow-brown. Identification of this species “Requires examination at high magnification in good lighting, typically examination o

Synema viridans

Identification: Females are pale to bright green. Eye tubercles are white in both sexes. Male dorsum with six transverse red bands, the anterior one broken.

Xysticus alboniger

Identification: Palp: ventral/lateral Epigynum: ventral/dorsal dissected

Xysticus auctificus

Xysticus auctificus is a species of crab spider in the family Thomisidae. It is found in the United States and Canada.

Xysticus audax

It has been considered by some authors to be a form of Xysticus cristatus, but there is now agreement that it is a separate species. Identification of this species "Requires examination at high magnification in good lighting, typically examination of

Xysticus britcheri

Identification: Male: left palp, ventral view left palp, retrolateral view

Xysticus chippewa

Identification: Epigynum (undissected, dissected ventral, dissected dorsal)

Xysticus cristatus

The female grows to a length of around 8 mm whilst the male is a little smaller, growing to around 5 mm and much darker. In both sexes, the dark triangle on the carapace ends in sharp, defined point. The abdomen has a broad middle band bordered by tw

Xysticus emertoni

Identification: Female: Epigyne, ventral view Male: Left palp, ventral view

Xysticus erraticus

A very distinctively marked member of the family, but it can be quite variable. Microscopic examination of the genitalia is necessary to confirm identification. Confirmation requires microscopic examination of the genitalia of adult specimens. Identi

Tan crab spider

Xysticus ferox

(c) Sheila S, some rights reserved (CC BY)

Xysticus ferox, the brown crab spider, is a species of crab spider in the family Thomisidae. It is found in the USA and Canada.

Xysticus gosiutus

Identification: Very similar to X. locuples Keyserling, 1880.

Xysticus kochi

Males 4 to 6mm, females 6 to11mm. Prosoma with black stripes and triangle large. Sternum light brown, margin brown-yellow. Legs dorsally dark brown with bright longitudinal lines and strong spines. Opisthosoma distinctly patterned with light brown-oc

Xysticus lanio

Male 4.2 to 6.2 mm. Prosoma black, with Y-shaped light brown markings, eye region light brown. Opisthosoma with black folium with white transverse and lateral lines. Female 6 to 8 mm. Prosoma and legs light brown with dark brown markings. Opisthosoma

Enlarged Ground Crab Spider

Xysticus locuples

Xysticus locuples is a species of crab spider in the family Thomisidae. It is found in North America.

Xysticus luctuosus

Identification: Male left palp, ventral view left palp, retrolateral view

Xysticus obscurus

Identification: Female: epigyne Male: left palp, ventral view left palp, retrolateral view

Xysticus punctatus

Identification: Male : left palp, ventral view left palp, retrolateral view

Xysticus texanus

Identification: Distinctive color pattern, especially on the carapace and legs, as is described in Gertsch 1939 , page 375. Adult males:

Xysticus ulmi

The broad cross line across its abdomen is characteristic. A sexually dimorphic species, with the male being much darker than the female. It is very similar to X. cristatus though usually has a more elongated abdomen. The epigyne and male palpal orga