Enlarged Ground Crab Spider
Xysticus locuples
This record describes Xysticus locuples (species). Recorded family: Thomisidae. Recorded order: Araneae.
Identification and Appearance
Xysticus locuples is a species of crab spider in the family Thomisidae. It is found in North America.
Identification notes
Very similar to X. gosiutus .
Wikipedia reference for Xysticus locuples: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Xysticus locuples.
Classification
- Kingdom
- Animalia
- Phylum
- Arthropoda
- Class
- Arachnida
- Order
- Araneae (Spiders)
- Family
- Thomisidae (Crab Spiders)
- Genus
- Xysticus (Ground Crab Spiders)
Imported taxonomy record. Source availability varies; see the source references and editorial policy below.
Habitat and Range
Geographic Range
Northern Mexico to southern British Columbia; inland to Colorado. (Dondale & Redner, 1978)
About Spiders: the wider group
Order-level background for Araneae, the group containing Xysticus locuples. Species-specific details appear above.
Group overview
As of 2023, 51,673 spider species in 136 families have been recorded, though an estimated 150,000 species exist. Spiders rank 7th in total species diversity among all organism orders. Only 0.5% of spider species pose any risk to human health.
Ecological role of the group
Spider venom contains complex peptides with diverse pharmacological activities, making them valuable for drug development research. Spiders produce up to 7 types of silk from specialized glands. Spider silk genes have been inserted into mammals and plants for biotech applications.
Economic and practical significance of the group
The global spider community kills an estimated 400-800 million tons of prey annually (2017 study). Spiders provide billions of dollars in natural pest control for agriculture. Spider silk is 5× stronger than steel of the same diameter, driving a biomaterials research industry.
Recorded sources for this group: World Spider Catalog, PNAS, Nature, ScienceDirect. Imported estimates may describe particular regions or reporting periods.
Photos of Enlarged Ground Crab Spider (3)
Photo credits: (c) K Schneider, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC), uploaded by K Schneider | Contributed by Kevin Pfeiffer
Frequently Asked Questions About Enlarged Ground Crab Spider
What is Enlarged Ground Crab Spider?
Enlarged Ground Crab Spider (Xysticus locuples) is a species in the family Thomisidae, within the order Araneae.
How do you identify Enlarged Ground Crab Spider?
Very similar to X. gosiutus .
Where is Enlarged Ground Crab Spider found?
Range: Northern Mexico to southern British Columbia; inland to Colorado. (Dondale & Redner, 1978)