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FAMILY THOMISIDAE - Flower Spiders, Crab Spiders
>This page contains pictures and information about Flower Spiders that we found in the Brisbane area, Queensland, Australia.
Flower Spiders are sometimes called Crab Spider. They are small to medium size with colour of green, yellow, white brown and grey. They are not hairy. All of them have eight eyes, in two rows of four, near the front edge of their head. They can move their median eyes independently. To the observer, their eyes appears to change colour. Their legs held in crab-like position and can move forward, backward or sideways. Their front pair of legs are spiny and pointed to the front, prepare to attack their prey. They are not active hunters and make more use of the camouflage techniques than other hunting spiders. The colour of the spider is adapted to the hunting terrain they use. They remain unmoved until the prey arrives and catches it. They are usually found on flowers or leaves and and will stay there for days.
- Flower Spider
- Diaea sp., leg to leg 20mm
- The Flower Spider hides on flower or branch, front four legs ready to seize a visiting insect. Their abdomen is white and yellow in colour, well camouflaged when it sits on flower. They have 8 eyes and with good eye sight. Click here for more pictures and information.
- White Crab Spider, White Flower Spider
- Thomisus spectabilis, leg to leg 30mm
- This species of Flower Spiders are a little larger than the above species. The spiders also hide in the flower plants and their abdomen just look like the flower buds. At day time they rest in their retreats made by the leafs and their silk. At night they sit beside the flower and wait for the visitors, such as the small moths. Please visit this page for more information and pictures.
- Knobbly Crab Spider
- Stephanopis sp., leg to leg 30mm
- Brown Crab Spider
- ? Sidymella sp., leg to leg 25mm
- Pictures taken in Karawatha Forest during late summer.
