Crab spider facts for kids

Kids Encyclopedia Facts
Crab spiders
Camouflaged crab spider on a violet flower
Scientific classification
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Arthropoda
Class: Arachnida
Order: Araneae
Family: Thomisidae
Sundevall, 1833
Diversity
170 genera, > 2,000 species

Crab spiders are the Thomisidae family of spiders. They have two front pairs of legs angled outward and bodies that are flattened and often angular. Also, like crabs, Thomisidae can move sideways or backward.

Crab spiders use their powerful front legs to grab and hold onto prey while paralyzing it with a venomous bite.

Crab spiders are hunters and ambushers. Some species sit on or among flowers, bark, fruit or leaves where they grab visiting insects. Their species use camouflage: several different types are known.

Some species are disguised as birds' droppings resting on a leaf. Even at a close range, it is difficult to tell the difference. Crab spiders live in rainforests all over the world. They get their name from the way they scuttle around, like small crabs.

Images for kids

  • Crab spider feeding Junonia atlites in Kadavoor

    Crab spider feeding on a Junonia atlites butterfly in a Zinnia elegans flower

  • Crab Spider Thomisus Female 5741

    Female Thomisus, sitting in ambush in a Felicia flower

  • Crab Spider (Thomisus) on Lavandula 5634

    Female Thomisus

  • Crab Spider Thomisus Female 5843

    Female Thomisus feeding on housefly snatched live from the finger of photographer

  • Thomisus sp. Male feeding on midge 8457s

    Male Thomisus feeding on small insect, probably a Heteroptera, the fingerprint gives some idea of the scale

  • Thomisus sp female with male on back 8399s

    Thomisus female with male on back awaiting opportunity to mate, probably when she next feeds, note the shape of the distal ends of his pedipalps.

  • Crab spider'Xysticus sp

    Female Xysticus

  • Crab Spider female Genus Synema Awaiting prey on Lavandula 6343s

    Female Synema awaiting prey on Lavandula

  • ചിലന്തിതേനിച്ചയെപിടിക്കുന്നു

    Bee caught by camouflaged crab spider

  • Angaeus sp

    Angaeus spider from Coorg, Karnataka, India

  • Amyciaea sp.

    Ant-mimic Amyciaea sp. from Coorg, Karnataka, India

  • Phyrnarachne sp

    Phyrnarachne spider mimicking bird-dropping, Kabini, Karnataka, India

  • Camaricus sp

    Camaricus spider from Goa, India

  • Xysticus sp. feeding on an ant.

    Xysticus spider feeding on an ant, Goa, India

  • Runcinia sp

    Runcinia spider on an inflorescence, Goa, India

  • Misumena sp

    Misumena spider from Kabini, Karnataka, India

  • The butterfly which was caught by a Crab spider

    Crab spider's yellow legs can be seen; it has grabbed the butterfly

  • Twin lantana camara edit

    A crab spider hiding in the Twin Lantana

  • Araneomorphae

    Crab spider with fly prey


All content from Kiddle encyclopedia articles (including the article images and facts) can be freely used under Attribution-ShareAlike license, unless stated otherwise. Cite this article:
Crab spider Facts for Kids. Kiddle Encyclopedia.