Thomisus
Thomisus is a genus of crab spiders with around 140 described species. The genus includes species that vary widely in their ecology, with some that are ambush predators that feed on insects visiting flowers. Like several other genera in the family Thomisidae, they are sometimes referred to as flower crab spiders, from their crab-like motion and their way of holding their front legs, reminiscent of a crab spreading its claws as a threat.
Description and behavior
As with most Thomisidae species, Thomisus exhibit sexual size dimorphism: females are in length, whereas males are only. Many species are brightly colored, usually matching the color of the flower in which they are waiting in ambush. Not all species are flower-dwelling, but among those that are, at least some species can change their colour over a period of some days to match the flower colour. Studies suggest that bees are inclined to avoid a flower that contains a spider-sized object of a non-matching colour; whether this is specifically a mechanism for avoiding crab spiders, or simply that they are not attracted to flowers whose nectar guides are obscured however, is a more difficult question. The colour changes that such species can achieve are typically in ranges of white, pink, and yellow.For example, in Thomisus spectabilis, the method of camouflage is similar to the Misumena vatia, though T. spectabilis are visible to their prey, but not their predators. This species of crab spiders is UV reflective while the flower is UV absorbing creating a contrast between the spider and flower through the eyes of the pollinator. The contrast created greatly attracts pollinators such as honeybees. This evolutionary method of camouflage increased the likelihood the crab spiders encountered prey, which in turn effects the fitness of the crab spiders. Due to the increased encounter rate of prey the spiders are able to focus energy on reproduction therefore leading to increased fitness in the spiders. The evolutionary method of camouflage greatly increases the survivability and fitness of crab spiders.
Distribution
The distribution of Thomisus species is almost worldwide, with the notable exception of most of South America. Although Thomisus species can be found almost anywhere on earth, most species occur in the tropics and the warmer regions of the Old World, with fewer species in the region from New Guinea to Australia and the New World. Only Thomisus guadahyrensis is known from South America.Species
, this genus includes 137 species and five subspecies.Species with articles on Wikipedia:Thomisus australis Comellini, 1957 – DR Congo, Burundi, Tanzania, Malawi, Mozambique, South Africa, LesothoThomisus blandus Karsch, 1880 – Sub-Saharan Africa, YemenThomisus callidus – Sri Lanka, Singapore, Indonesia Thomisus citrinellus Simon, 1875 – Mediterranean, Africa, Seychelles, Yemen, Iraq, Iran?Thomisus congoensis Comellini, 1957 – Cape Verde, DR Congo, Angola, South Africa, EswatiniThomisus dalmasi Lessert, 1919 – Guinea, Cameroon, DR Congo, Rwanda, Tanzania, Malawi, Mozambique, South AfricaThomisus daradioides Simon, 1890 – Africa to IndiaThomisus ghesquierei Lessert, 1943 – DR Congo, South AfricaThomisus granulatus Karsch, 1880 – Zambia, Malawi, Namibia, Botswana, South Africa, EswatiniThomisus granulifrons Simon, 1906 – India, Sri LankaThomisus guadahyrensis Keyserling, 1880 – PeruThomisus kalaharinus Lawrence, 1936 – Sub-Saharan Africa, YemenThomisus kitamurai Nakatsudi, 1943 – Japan Thomisus labefactus Karsch, 1881 – Korea, Japan, China, Taiwan, ThailandThomisus machadoi Comellini, 1959 – Cape Verde, Angola, South AfricaThomisus marginifrons Schenkel, 1963 – ChinaThomisus natalensis Lawrence, 1942 – Zimbabwe, South AfricaThomisus nepenthiphilus Fage, 1930 – Indonesia Thomisus okinawensis Strand, 1907 – Thailand to Japan, Philippines, IndonesiaThomisus onustus Walckenaer, 1805 – Savage Islands, Europe, North Africa, Turkey, Caucasus, Russia, Israel, Jordan, Iran, Kazakhstan, Central Asia, China, Korea, Japan Thomisus schultzei Simon, 1910 – Namibia, Botswana, South AfricaThomisus scrupeus – Sub-Saharan AfricaThomisus socotrensis Dippenaar-Schoeman & van Harten, 2007 – Yemen Thomisus spectabilis Doleschall, 1859 – India to AustraliaThomisus spiculosus Pocock, 1901 – Nigeria, DR Congo, Tanzania, Zimbabwe, Mozambique, South AfricaThomisus stenningi Pocock, 1900 – Africa, Seychelles, YemenThomisus zuluanus Lawrence, 1942 – South AfricaThomisus albens O. Pickard-Cambridge, 1885 – Pakistan, China, Thomisus albertianus Strand, 1913 – Gabon, DR Congo, Uganda, Angola
- * T. a. guineensis Millot, 1942 – Guinea, Angola
- * T. a. maculatus Comellini, 1959 – Cameroon, DR Congo
- * T. a. verrucosus Comellini, 1957 – DR CongoThomisus albohirtus Simon, 1884 – Sudan, Ethiopia, Somalia, Yemen, Iran?Thomisus amadelphus Simon, 1909 – VietnamThomisus andamanensis Tikader, 1980 – India Thomisus angulatulus Roewer, 1951 – GabonThomisus angustifrons Lucas, 1858 – GabonThomisus arabicus Simon, 1882 – YemenThomisus armillatus – India Thomisus aruni Biswas & Raychaudhuri, 2023 – BangladeshThomisus ashishi Gajbe, 2005 – IndiaThomisus australis Comellini, 1957 – DR Congo, Burundi, Tanzania, Malawi, Mozambique, South Africa, LesothoThomisus baghdeoi Gajbe, 2004 – IndiaThomisus bargi Gajbe, 2004 – IndiaThomisus benoiti Comellini, 1959 – DR CongoThomisus bhagabatii Biswas & Raychaudhuri, 2024 – BangladeshThomisus bicolor Walckenaer, 1837 – United StatesThomisus bidentatus Kulczyński, 1901 – West Africa, Saudi Arabia, YemenThomisus bigibbosus Keyserling, 1881 – United StatesThomisus blandus Karsch, 1880 – Sub-Saharan Africa, YemenThomisus boesenbergi Lenz, 1891 – MadagascarThomisus bonnieri Simon, 1902 – OmanThomisus bueanus Strand, 1916 – CameroonThomisus bulani Tikader, 1960 – IndiaThomisus callidus – Sri Lanka, Singapore, Indonesia Thomisus candidus Blackwall, 1866 – south-east equatorial AfricaThomisus castaneiceps Simon, 1909 – VietnamThomisus cavaleriei Schenkel, 1963 – ChinaThomisus citrinellus Simon, 1875 – Mediterranean, Africa, Seychelles, Yemen, Iraq, Iran?Thomisus congoensis Comellini, 1957 – Cape Verde, DR Congo, Angola, South Africa, EswatiniThomisus dalmasi Lessert, 1919 – Guinea, Cameroon, DR Congo, Rwanda, Tanzania, Malawi, Mozambique, South AfricaThomisus danieli Gajbe, 2004 – IndiaThomisus daradioides Simon, 1890 – Africa, India
- * T. d. nigroannulatus Caporiacco, 1947 – TanzaniaThomisus dartevellei Comellini, 1957 – DR Congo, Ethiopia, MalawiThomisus dentiger – MyanmarThomisus destefanii Caporiacco, 1941 – EthiopiaThomisus dhakuriensis Tikader, 1960 – IndiaThomisus dhananjayi Gajbe, 2005 – IndiaThomisus duriusculus – Indonesia Thomisus dyali Kumari & Mittal, 1997 – IndiaThomisus elongatus Stoliczka, 1869 – IndiaThomisus eminulus Tang & Li, 2010 – ChinaThomisus galeatus Simon, 1909 – VietnamThomisus ghesquierei Lessert, 1943 – DR Congo, South AfricaThomisus godavariae Reddy & Patel, 1992 – IndiaThomisus gouluensis Peng, Yin & Kim, 2000 – ChinaThomisus granulatus Karsch, 1880 – Zambia, Malawi, Namibia, Botswana, South Africa, EswatiniThomisus granulifrons Simon, 1906 – India, Sri LankaThomisus guadahyrensis Keyserling, 1880 – PeruThomisus guangxicus Song & Zhu, 1995 – ChinaThomisus hararinus Caporiacco, 1947 – EthiopiaThomisus hui Song & Zhu, 1995 – ChinaThomisus hunanensis Peng, Yin & Kim, 2000 – ChinaThomisus ilocanus Barrion & Litsinger, 1995 – PhilippinesThomisus iswadus Barrion & Litsinger, 1995 – PhilippinesThomisus italongus Barrion & Litsinger, 1995 – PhilippinesThomisus janinae Comellini, 1957 – DR Congo, TanzaniaThomisus jocquei Dippenaar-Schoeman, 1988 – MalawiThomisus kalaharinus Lawrence, 1936 – Sub-Saharan Africa, YemenThomisus katrajghatus Tikader, 1963 – IndiaThomisus keralae Biswas & Roy, 2005 – IndiaThomisus kitamurai Nakatsudi, 1943 – Japan Thomisus kiwuensis Strand, 1913 – Central AfricaThomisus kokiwadai Gajbe, 2004 – IndiaThomisus krishnae Reddy & Patel, 1992 – IndiaThomisus labefactus Karsch, 1881 – Korea, Japan, China, Taiwan, ThailandThomisus laglaizei Simon, 1877 – Myanmar, Philippines, Indonesia Thomisus lamperti Strand, 1907 – MadagascarThomisus leucaspis Simon, 1906 – India, New CaledoniaThomisus litoris Strand, 1913 – DR Congo and/or UgandaThomisus lobosus Tikader, 1965 – IndiaThomisus ludhianaensis Kumari & Mittal, 1997 – IndiaThomisus machadoi Comellini, 1959 – Cape Verde, Angola, South AfricaThomisus madagascariensis Comellini, 1957 – Madagascar
- * T. m. pallidus Comellini, 1957 – MadagascarThomisus magaspangus Barrion, Barrion-Dupo & Heong, 2013 – China Thomisus manishae Gajbe, 2005 – IndiaThomisus manjuae Gajbe, 2005 – IndiaThomisus marginifrons Schenkel, 1963 – ChinaThomisus meenae Gajbe, 2005 – IndiaThomisus melanostethus Simon, 1909 – VietnamThomisus mimae Sen & Basu, 1963 – IndiaThomisus modestus Blackwall, 1870 – ItalyThomisus natalensis Lawrence, 1942 – Zimbabwe, South AfricaThomisus nepenthiphilus Fage, 1930 – Indonesia Thomisus nirmali Saha & Raychaudhuri, 2007 – IndiaThomisus obscuratus Caporiacco, 1947 – EritreaThomisus obtusesetulosus Roewer, 1961 – SenegalThomisus ochraceus Walckenaer, 1841 – AlgeriaThomisus odiosus O. Pickard-Cambridge, 1898 – MexicoThomisus okinawensis Strand, 1907 – Thailand, Japan, Philippines, IndonesiaThomisus onustus Walckenaer, 1805 – Savage Islands, Europe, North Africa, Turkey, Caucasus, Russia, Israel, Jordan, Iran, Kazakhstan, Central Asia, China, Korea, Japan Thomisus oscitans Walckenaer, 1837 – United StatesThomisus pateli Gajbe, 2004 – IndiaThomisus pathaki Gajbe, 2004 – IndiaThomisus penicillatus Simon, 1909 – VietnamThomisus perspicillatus – Borneo Thomisus pooneus Tikader, 1965 – IndiaThomisus pritiae Gajbe, 2005 – IndiaThomisus projectus Tikader, 1960 – IndiaThomisus pugilis Stoliczka, 1869 – Pakistan, IndiaThomisus rajani Bhandari & Gajbe, 2001 – IndiaThomisus retirugus Simon, 1909 – VietnamThomisus rigoratus Simon, 1906 – IndiaThomisus rishus Tikader, 1970 – IndiaThomisus roeweri Comellini, 1957 – TanzaniaThomisus schoutedeni Comellini, 1957 – DR CongoThomisus schultzei Simon, 1910 – Namibia, Botswana, South AfricaThomisus scrupeus – Sub-Saharan AfricaThomisus shillongensis Sen, 1963 – IndiaThomisus shivajiensis Tikader, 1965 – IndiaThomisus sikkimensis Tikader, 1962 – IndiaThomisus simoni Gajbe, 2004 – IndiaThomisus socotrensis Dippenaar-Schoeman & van Harten, 2007 – Yemen Thomisus spectabilis Doleschall, 1859 – India, AustraliaThomisus spiculosus Pocock, 1901 – Nigeria, DR Congo, Tanzania, Zimbabwe, Mozambique, South AfricaThomisus stenningi Pocock, 1900 – Africa, Seychelles, YemenThomisus stigmatisatus Walckenaer, 1837 – United StatesThomisus stoliczkai – MyanmarThomisus sundari Gajbe & Gajbe, 2001 – IndiaThomisus swatowensis Strand, 1907 – ChinaThomisus telanganaensis Pravalikha & Srinivasulu, 2015 – IndiaThomisus tetricus Simon, 1890 – YemenThomisus transversus Fox, 1937 – ChinaThomisus tripunctatus Lucas, 1858 – West AfricaThomisus tuberculatus Dyal, 1935 – PakistanThomisus unidentatus Dippenaar-Schoeman & van Harten, 2007 – Yemen, Iraq, Iran, Pakistan, IndiaThomisus venulatus Walckenaer, 1841 – AlgeriaThomisus viveki Gajbe, 2004 – IndiaThomisus vulnerabilis Mello-Leitão, 1929 – MyanmarThomisus wangi Tang, Yin & Peng, 2012 – ChinaThomisus whitakeri Gajbe, 2004 – IndiaThomisus yarang Wang, Lu & Z. S. Zhang, 2024 – ChinaThomisus yemensis Dippenaar-Schoeman & van Harten, 2007 – YemenThomisus zaheeri Parveen, Khan, Mushtaq, Ahmad & Rana, 2008 – PakistanThomisus zhui Tang & Song, 1988 – ChinaThomisus zuluanus Lawrence, 1942 – South AfricaThomisus zyuzini Marusik & Logunov, 1990 – Turkey, Cyprus, Saudi Arabia, Central Asia, Mongolia