Small spider for ID please

Zebethyal · #1 (**permalink**) 05-02-2007, 07:18 AM

I found this little fellow on my daughter's trampoline and thought it would make a good macro shot.

Damn thing would not stay still

Any idea what it is?

Image is 5mm wide at a reproduction ratio of 4.6:1

Full details of how it was shot here

Regards

Tim

aeshna5 · #2 (**permalink**) 05-02-2007, 11:59 AM

I'm not a spider expert but have a friend who's educating me on them. The general structure looks like one of the Thomisid crab spiders, possibly of genus Xysticus, but beyond that I'm stuck.

Bound to be more knowledgeable people on here who can perhaps fully ID it!

nightshade · #3 (**permalink**) 05-02-2007, 12:20 PM

This looks like the crab spider misumena vatia that lives on my roses
and tomatoes an ambush predator I think they do a colour change act

aeshna5 · #4 (**permalink**) 05-02-2007, 02:16 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by nightshade

This looks like the crab spider misumena vatia that lives on my roses
and tomatoes an ambush predator I think they do a colour change act

So I got the right family, but possibly wrong genus! I don't think I've seen a Misumena with those bars on the abdomen before, but I know they are very variable- most that I've seen in the field are plainer yellow or white- occasionally see them in my garden sitting on flowers. One of my favourites.

nightshade · #5 (**permalink**) 05-02-2007, 02:29 PM

You may yet be right Aeshna,I only said it looks like.....

philbyuk · #6 (**permalink**) 09-02-2007, 05:58 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Zebethyal

.

Damn thing would not stay still

lol hows it supposed to stay still on a trampoline....excercise time

Beryl · #7 (**permalink**) 09-02-2007, 07:10 PM

Looks a bit like one of the Orb-weaver family. I could be wrong.
I am you were right oit is a yellow crab spider

aeshna5 · #8 (**permalink**) 09-02-2007, 07:22 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Beryl

Looks a bit like one of the Orb-weaver family. I could be wrong.
I am you were right oit is a yellow crab spider

Beryl, orb webs + crab spiders are totally different families! I was discussing this photo with my spider chum + he agrees with Nightshade that it's a well marked Misumena vatia (a crab spider)- I just hadn't seen one either in the field or in photos that had those broad bands on the abdomen.

GRH · #9 (**permalink**) 12-02-2007, 08:16 AM

This is typical colouration for a juvenile Misumena vatia. The males are mottled brown when adult. The females can sometimes retain the stripes on the side of the abdomen (though they turn pinky or red-ish), but I've never seen or heard of any retaining the stripes on top. It is also too small and the wrong time of year for adults.

Greg

aeshna5 · #10 (**permalink**) 12-02-2007, 09:53 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by GRH

This is typical colouration for a juvenile Misumena vatia. The males are mottled brown when adult. The females can sometimes retain the stripes on the side of the abdomen (though they turn pinky or red-ish), but I've never seen or heard of any retaining the stripes on top. It is also too small and the wrong time of year for adults.

Greg

Thanks for clarifying that Greg- the ones I'm used to seeing are obviously adult females then.