Crab- and Running Crab Spiders - Superfamily: Thomisoidea
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With its' variety of colours, patterns and shapes this superfamily is definitely one of the most diverse and if spiders could ever be said to be pretty, one would find them here. There are 2 families with 200 genera containing a total of 2,697 species in November 2023. Of the smaller of the two, the Philodromidae, six species from three genera are represented in Australia with only one a possible find in the Northern Rivers. This family is more prevalent in the northern hemisphere and sightings of five of the six Australian species are quite rare. The larger family, the Thomisidae, which holds nearly 80% of the species, is more widespread and some species will even tolerate sub-arctic temperatures. The two families are quite different from one another and their placement here together is still somewhat contentious with some arguing that the two families are notclosely related enough.
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Many Philodromid Spiders resemble Huntsman Spiders both in form and colouring although there are species, such as the our T. tenellus, that have a much more elongated abdomen. The philodromids were at one stage considered to be a subfamily of the Thomisidae however, the fossil record suggests that the Philodromidae arrived on the scene first with the oldest fossils assigned to this family dated from the Early Cretaceous, up to 125 Mya. The Thomisidae fossil record, whereas more extensive is, at present, no older than 105 My.
Thomisoid spiders do not build webs, species from both families are considered 'hunting spiders' even though more than a few of the Thomisidae prefer to lay in wait for their prey to come to them. It is these species that have the best camouflage with some even resembling orchids replete with the pretty colours and shapes. |
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The name Flower Spiders, as the Thomisidae are also known by is without doubt a more appropriate name for them as most spend much of their life either on plants or even, inside flowers laying in ambush. And even though they do move either sideways or backwards, just like crabs, the name Crab Spiders is used for other families as well and so may lead to confusion.
Thomisidae have long, strong front legs for grabbing their prey and rather short backlegs often covered in spines which may help anchor them to their location in the struggle for their food. They are capable of tackling prey larger than themselves thanks to their very potent venom. Most of the Crab Spiders one finds are female. In many of the species sexual dimorphism does occur to various levels. In some the difference in size is minor, in others quite extreme with females upto 60 times larger than the males. |
Family: Philodromidae
Stretched Philodromid - Tibellus tenellus
Family: Thomisidae
Subfamily: Bominae
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Larval Crab Spider - Bomis larvata
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Corynethrix obscura
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Subfamily: Dietinae
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Cetratus circumlita
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Long Green Crab Spider - Cetratus rubropunctatus
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Cetratus tenuis (possible occurrence)
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Oxytate isolata
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Subfamily: Stephanopinae
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Hedana gracilis (possible occurrence)
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Powerful Hedana - Hedana valida
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Isala arenata (possible occurrence)
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Cambridge's Crab Spider - Isala cambridgei
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Isala longimana (possible occurrence)
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Isala rufiventris
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Isala similis (possible occurrence)
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Two-tailed Crab Spider - Sidymella bicuspidata
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Hairy Crab Spider - Sidymella hirsuta
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Long-legged Crab Spider - Sidymella longipes
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L 001 - N.Lambert
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Red-tipped Crab Spider - Sidymella rubrosignata
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Trapezoid Crab Spider - Sidymella trapezia
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L 145 - N.Lambert
L 144 - N.Lambert
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Unidentified Stephanopis sp.
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D 149 - D.Davey
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Hi-browed Crab Spider - Stephanopis albifrons
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Stephanopis armata
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Bearded-legs Crab Spider - Stephanopis barbipes
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Stephanopis carcinoides
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Stephanopis corticalis
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Stephanopis lata
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Stephanopis lobata
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Massive-arms Crab Spider - Stephanopis monulfi
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Stephanopis nigra
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Narrow Crab Spider - Synalus angustus
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Subfamily: Thomisinae
Tribe: Coriarchnini
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Social Tharpyna - Xisticus bimaculatus
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Geometrical Crab Spider - Xysticus geometres
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Tribe: Cymbachini
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Cymbacha festiva (possible occurrence)
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Cymbacha ocellata
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Cymbacha saucia
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Tribe: Diaeini
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Saccodomus formivorus (possible occurrence)
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Synema suteri
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Tharpyna albosignata
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Country Crab Spider - Tharpyna campestrata (likely occurrence)
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Decorative Crab Spider - Tharpyna decorata
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Crowned Crab Spider - Tharpyna diademata
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Tharpyna hirsuta
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Tharpyna munda
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Beautiful Crab Spider - Tharpyna venusta
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Tribe: Minusemini
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Blood-stained Flower Spider - Australomisida cruentata
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Australomisida ergandros
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Australomisida inornata
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Lozenge-shaped Flower Spider - Australomisida pilula
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Rosy Flower Spider - Australomisida rosea
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Small Flower Spider - Boomerangiana dimidiata
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Misumena bipunctata
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Pointy Runcinia - Runcinia acuminata
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Runcinia insecta
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Tharrhalea evanida
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Tharrhalea multopunctata
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Leek-green Flower Spider - Tharrhalea prasina
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Tharrhalea variabilis
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Milky Flower Spider - Zygometes xanthogaster
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Tribe: Thomisini
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Spectacular Flower Spider - Thomisus spectabilis
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Tribe: Tmarini
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Tmarus angulifer
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Tmarus cinerasceus (possible occurrence)
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Tmarus marmoreus
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Tmarus projectus (possible occurrence)
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Tmarus variabilis
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Taxonomy:
Phylum: Arthropoda (Arthropods)
> Subphylum: Chelicerata (Chelicerates)
> Class: Arachnida (Arachnids)
> Order: Aranea (Spiders)
> Suborder: Araneomorphae (Typical Spiders)
> Infraorder: Entelegynea (Entelegyne Spiders)
> Superfamily: Thomisoidea (Crab- and Running Crab Spiders)
> Family: Philodromidae (Running Crab Spiders)
> Genus: Tibellus (Slender Crab Spiders)
> Species: T. tenellus - Stretched Philodromid
> Family: Thomisidae (Crab Spiders)
> Subfamily: Bominae
> Genus: Bomis
> Species: B. larvata - Larval Crab Spider
> Genus: Corynethrix
> Species: C. obscura
> Subfamily: Dietinae
> Genus: Cetratus (Green Grass Crab Spiders)
> Species: C. circumlita
> Species: C. rubropunctatus - Long Green Crab Spider
> Species: C. tenuis ^
> Genus: Oxytate
> Species: O. isolata
> Subfamily: Stephanopinae
> Genus: Hedana
> Species: H. gracilis ^
> Species: H. valida - Powerful Hedana
> Genus: Isala
> Species: I. arenata ^
> Species: I. cambridgei - Cambridge's Crab Spider
> Species: I. longimana ^
> Species: I. rufiventris
> Species: I. similis ^
> Genus: Sidymella (Square-ended Crab Spiders)
> Species: S. bicuspidata - Two-tailed Crab Spider
> Species: S. hirsuta - Hairy Crab Spider
> Species: S. longipes - Long-legged Crab Spider
> Species: S. rubrosignata - Red-tipped Crab Spider
> Species: S. trapezia - Trapezoid Crab Spider
> Genus: Stephanopis
> Species: S. altifrons - Hi-browed Crab Spider
> Species: S. armata
> Species: S. barbipes - Bearded-legs Crab Spider
> Species: S. carcinoides
> Species: S. corticalis
> Species: S. lata
> Species: S. lobata
> Species: S. monulfi - Massive-arms Crab Spider
> Species: S. nigra
> Genus: Synalus
> Species: S. angustus - Narrow Crab Spider
> Subfamily: Thomisinae
> Tribe: Coriarchnini
> Genus: Xysticus (Ground Crab Spiders)
> Species: X. bimaculatus - Social Tharpyna
> Species: X. geometres - Geometrical Crab Spider
> Tribe: Cymbachini
> Genus: Cymbacha
> Species: C. festiva ^
> Species: C. ocellata
> Species: C. saucia
> Tribe: Diaeini
> Genus: Saccodomus
> Species: S. formivorus ^
> Genus: Synema
> Species: S. suteri
> Genus: Tharpyna
> Species: T. albosignata
> Species: T. campestrata - Country Crab Spider *
> Species: T. decorata - Decorative Crab Spider
> Species: T. diademata - Crowned Crab Spider
> Species: T. hirsuta
> Species: T. munda
> Species: T. venusta - Beautiful Crab Spider
> Tribe: Misumenini
> Genus: Australomisida
> Species: A. cruentata - Blood-stained Flower Spider
> Species: A. ergandros
> Species: A. inornata
> Species: A. pilula - Lozenge-shaped Flower Spider
> Species: A. rosea - Rosy Flower Spider
> Genus: Boomerangiana
> Species: B. dimidiata - Small Flower Spider
> Genus: Misumena (Flower Crab Spiders)
> Species: M. bipunctata
> Genus: Runcinia
> Species: R. acuminata - Pointy Runcinia
> Species: R. insecta
> Genus: Tharrhalea
> Species: T. evanida
> Species: T. multopunctata
> Species: T. prasina - Leek-green Flower Spider
> Species: T. variabilis
> Genus: Zygometis
> Species: Z. xanthogaster - Milky Flower Spider
> Tribe: Thomisini
> Genus: Thomisus
> Species: T. spectabilis - Spectacular Flower Spider
> Tribe: Tmarini
> Genus: Tmarus
> Species: T. angulifer
> Species: T. cinerasceus ^
> Species: T. marmoreus
> Species: T. projectus ^
> Species: T. variabilis
* = likely
^ = possibly
Phylum: Arthropoda (Arthropods)
> Subphylum: Chelicerata (Chelicerates)
> Class: Arachnida (Arachnids)
> Order: Aranea (Spiders)
> Suborder: Araneomorphae (Typical Spiders)
> Infraorder: Entelegynea (Entelegyne Spiders)
> Superfamily: Thomisoidea (Crab- and Running Crab Spiders)
> Family: Philodromidae (Running Crab Spiders)
> Genus: Tibellus (Slender Crab Spiders)
> Species: T. tenellus - Stretched Philodromid
> Family: Thomisidae (Crab Spiders)
> Subfamily: Bominae
> Genus: Bomis
> Species: B. larvata - Larval Crab Spider
> Genus: Corynethrix
> Species: C. obscura
> Subfamily: Dietinae
> Genus: Cetratus (Green Grass Crab Spiders)
> Species: C. circumlita
> Species: C. rubropunctatus - Long Green Crab Spider
> Species: C. tenuis ^
> Genus: Oxytate
> Species: O. isolata
> Subfamily: Stephanopinae
> Genus: Hedana
> Species: H. gracilis ^
> Species: H. valida - Powerful Hedana
> Genus: Isala
> Species: I. arenata ^
> Species: I. cambridgei - Cambridge's Crab Spider
> Species: I. longimana ^
> Species: I. rufiventris
> Species: I. similis ^
> Genus: Sidymella (Square-ended Crab Spiders)
> Species: S. bicuspidata - Two-tailed Crab Spider
> Species: S. hirsuta - Hairy Crab Spider
> Species: S. longipes - Long-legged Crab Spider
> Species: S. rubrosignata - Red-tipped Crab Spider
> Species: S. trapezia - Trapezoid Crab Spider
> Genus: Stephanopis
> Species: S. altifrons - Hi-browed Crab Spider
> Species: S. armata
> Species: S. barbipes - Bearded-legs Crab Spider
> Species: S. carcinoides
> Species: S. corticalis
> Species: S. lata
> Species: S. lobata
> Species: S. monulfi - Massive-arms Crab Spider
> Species: S. nigra
> Genus: Synalus
> Species: S. angustus - Narrow Crab Spider
> Subfamily: Thomisinae
> Tribe: Coriarchnini
> Genus: Xysticus (Ground Crab Spiders)
> Species: X. bimaculatus - Social Tharpyna
> Species: X. geometres - Geometrical Crab Spider
> Tribe: Cymbachini
> Genus: Cymbacha
> Species: C. festiva ^
> Species: C. ocellata
> Species: C. saucia
> Tribe: Diaeini
> Genus: Saccodomus
> Species: S. formivorus ^
> Genus: Synema
> Species: S. suteri
> Genus: Tharpyna
> Species: T. albosignata
> Species: T. campestrata - Country Crab Spider *
> Species: T. decorata - Decorative Crab Spider
> Species: T. diademata - Crowned Crab Spider
> Species: T. hirsuta
> Species: T. munda
> Species: T. venusta - Beautiful Crab Spider
> Tribe: Misumenini
> Genus: Australomisida
> Species: A. cruentata - Blood-stained Flower Spider
> Species: A. ergandros
> Species: A. inornata
> Species: A. pilula - Lozenge-shaped Flower Spider
> Species: A. rosea - Rosy Flower Spider
> Genus: Boomerangiana
> Species: B. dimidiata - Small Flower Spider
> Genus: Misumena (Flower Crab Spiders)
> Species: M. bipunctata
> Genus: Runcinia
> Species: R. acuminata - Pointy Runcinia
> Species: R. insecta
> Genus: Tharrhalea
> Species: T. evanida
> Species: T. multopunctata
> Species: T. prasina - Leek-green Flower Spider
> Species: T. variabilis
> Genus: Zygometis
> Species: Z. xanthogaster - Milky Flower Spider
> Tribe: Thomisini
> Genus: Thomisus
> Species: T. spectabilis - Spectacular Flower Spider
> Tribe: Tmarini
> Genus: Tmarus
> Species: T. angulifer
> Species: T. cinerasceus ^
> Species: T. marmoreus
> Species: T. projectus ^
> Species: T. variabilis
* = likely
^ = possibly
References and links:
> Homann, H., (1975). 'Die Stellung der Thomisidae und der Philodromidae im System der Araneae (Chelicerata, Arachnida).' Zeitschrift für Morphologie der Tiere 80(3): 181-202. doi:10.1007/BF00285652
> Prado, A.W. do, Baptista, R.L.C., Schinelli, H.B.P. and Takiya, D.M., (2022). 'Solving a running crab spider puzzle: delimiting Cleocnemis Simon, 1886 with implications on the phylogeny and terminology of genital structures of Philodromidae.' BMC Zoology 7(51): 1-35. [and Correction: BMC Zoology (2023) 8(2): 1-7. doi: 10.1186/s40850-022-00162-5] doi:10.1186/s40850-022-00136-7
> Whyte, R. and Anderson, G., (2017). 'A Field Guide to the Spiders of Australia.' Csiro Publishing, Clayton, Vic., Australia. ISBN 9780643107083.
https://www.arachne.org.au/01_cms/details.asp?ID=1105
https://www.arc.agric.za/arc-ppri/Pages/Biosystematics/Spider%20Research%20Centre/Thomisidae-General-Information.aspx
https://www.mindat.org/taxon-5639.html
https://www.mindat.org/taxon-6163.html
> Homann, H., (1975). 'Die Stellung der Thomisidae und der Philodromidae im System der Araneae (Chelicerata, Arachnida).' Zeitschrift für Morphologie der Tiere 80(3): 181-202. doi:10.1007/BF00285652
> Prado, A.W. do, Baptista, R.L.C., Schinelli, H.B.P. and Takiya, D.M., (2022). 'Solving a running crab spider puzzle: delimiting Cleocnemis Simon, 1886 with implications on the phylogeny and terminology of genital structures of Philodromidae.' BMC Zoology 7(51): 1-35. [and Correction: BMC Zoology (2023) 8(2): 1-7. doi: 10.1186/s40850-022-00162-5] doi:10.1186/s40850-022-00136-7
> Whyte, R. and Anderson, G., (2017). 'A Field Guide to the Spiders of Australia.' Csiro Publishing, Clayton, Vic., Australia. ISBN 9780643107083.
https://www.arachne.org.au/01_cms/details.asp?ID=1105
https://www.arc.agric.za/arc-ppri/Pages/Biosystematics/Spider%20Research%20Centre/Thomisidae-General-Information.aspx
https://www.mindat.org/taxon-5639.html
https://www.mindat.org/taxon-6163.html
Photographic contributions:
Davey, Diana. D 149.
Lambert, Nick. L 001 - L 003 - L 144 - L 145 - L 146 - L 147.
Davey, Diana. D 149.
Lambert, Nick. L 001 - L 003 - L 144 - L 145 - L 146 - L 147.