Family Thomisidae 蟹蛛科 Crab Spiders

The Five Arachnid families > Spiders of Borneo > Part 3 Family Thomisidae 蟹蛛科

Family Thomisidae has 3000 over known species.
They are not active hunters and make more use of the camouflage techniques than other spiders. The color of the spider is adapted to the hunting terrain they use and is mostly extravagant. They remain unmoved until the prey arrives and catches it. With a venomous bite they kill their prey and suck it dry.

Crab spiders can be found on flowers or leaves of plants. Often the crab spider remains for days, even weeks at the same spot.
The front two legs, that are often larger and stronger than the other six, are held sideways, ready to catch the prey immediately. Because they sit on easily spotted places, they are also easy to catch by the predators. When they spot a possible enemy, they move quickly at the other site of the flower or leave.

Their eyesight is poorly developed. They have normally two big and two small front eyes.

170 genera, 2,000 over species

Key to identify crab spider (family Thomisidae).

1. No orb web. They are hunters.
2. Do not walk around fast. Only crawl slowly but most of the time stay still in wait.
3. Eyes are small, all in the anterior.
4. Walks sideways like crabs.
5. While being stationary, the legs are usually spread open.
6. Common place to be found is inside or on top of a flower.
7. Many have the first 3 pairs of tarsus facing forward is resting position.

Family Thomisidae 蟹蛛科
Crab Spiders do not build webs to trap prey, though all of them produce silk for drop lines and sundry reproductive purposes; some are wandering hunters and the most widely known are ambush predators. Some species sit on or beside flowers or fruit, where they grab visiting insects.

Family Thomisidae 蟹蛛科
Genus Boliscus
疣蟹蛛屬