Thomisus spectabilis

rdf:langString Thomisus spectabilis

rdf:langString White crab spider

rdf:langString Doleschall, 1859

rdf:langString Thomisus spectabilis

rdf:langString Thomisus spectabilis, also known as the white crab spider or Australian crab spider, is a small spider found in Australia and far east Asia. The body length of the female is up to 10 mm, the male 6.2 mm. Including legs, the spider is around 3 cm across. This spider is usually white, though sometimes may appear yellow. The legs and head appear almost translucent. Thomisus spectabilis is an ambush predator, often seen resting in flowers of its same color. Its egg sacs are laid in a folded leaf, and the cream colored eggs, typically 1 mm in diameter, range between 200 and 370 in number. These spiders primarily eat insects and their preference for symmetry helps them in capturing pollinating insects such as butterflies and bees. The spider also takes advantage of its color scheme's reflectance of UV light to create a color contrast in the visual field of the bees that attracts the bees. The Australian crab spider is mostly a suburban or urban animal found in Eastern Australia, and their habitat is among white and yellow daisies. Thomisus spectabilis are a venomous species. They tend to be more aggressive than most spider species with higher bite rates. Their bites are not lethal, but might lead to mild symptoms like localized pain. These spiders do not weave webs, but rather chase and ambush their preys.