Xysticus
Xysticus is a genus of around 300 ground crab spider species described by C. L. Koch in 1835, belonging to the order Araneae, family Thomisidae.
The genus name is derived from the Ancient Greek root xyst, meaning "scraped, scraper".
Behaviour
The spiders of the genus Xysticus do not build webs; like most Thomisidae they are ambush hunters and prefer to hunt near the ground. They move slowly, and commonly hunt by stationing themselves in a high-traffic area and grabbing whatever arthropod passes close enough. Also like most other Thomisidae, they seize prey with their enlarged anterior two pairs of legs and kill it by a venomous bite.Description
Xysticus and Coriarachne are dark brown or reddish-brown crab spiders often encountered on weeds or trees. While similar to the 'flower spiders', they tend to have shorter, sturdier legs. Many, but not all, species have abdomens more patterned than most Thomisus species, rather like some of the Synema species. Some however, that are more terrestrial, resemble earth in colour and texture.Most species of the genus Xysticus are small to medium sized spiders. They show a sexual dimorphism in size. Females of typical species reach a maximum of of body length, while their males are about long, about half the size of the females.
The basic colour of these species is usually brown, beige or gray. The prosoma is sometimes slightly smaller than the opisthosoma. In many species the front body shows in the middle a broad, pale longitudinal band. The opisthosoma is clearly flattened in most species and shows a median broad and dark leaf marking.
The species are often very similar to each other, and in most cases can be distinguished only by a microscopic examination of the reproductive organs.
Diagnostic characters
Members of this genus have a smooth or granulated integument and their colour is cryptic fawn to reddish brown to blend in with the soil surface. The body and legs are covered with simple setae, rarely blunt. The tibiae and metatarsi I and II each have more than three pairs of setae ventrally. They are all cryptic and difficult to identify, with genitalia playing an important role in distinguishing between species.Species
, this genus includes 275 species and ten subspecies.These species have articles on Wikipedia:Xysticus alboniger Turnbull, Dondale & Redner, 1965 – Canada, United StatesXysticus ampullatus Turnbull, Dondale & Redner, 1965 – Canada, United StatesXysticus auctificus Keyserling, 1880 – Canada, United StatesXysticus audax – Europe, Turkey, Caucasus, Russia, Kazakhstan, Iran, China, Korea, Japan Xysticus britcheri Gertsch, 1934 – Russia, Alaska, Canada, United StatesXysticus californicus Keyserling, 1880 – Canada, United States, MexicoXysticus canadensis Gertsch, 1934 – Russia, Canada, United StatesXysticus concursus Gertsch, 1934 – United StatesXysticus cristatus – Europe, Turkey, Caucasus, Russia, Kazakhstan, Iran, Central Asia, Nepal, China, Korea, Japan. Introduced to Canada, United StatesXysticus croceus Fox, 1937 – India, Nepal, Bhutan, China, Taiwan, Korea, Japan, VietnamXysticus discursans Keyserling, 1880 – North AmericaXysticus elegans Keyserling, 1880 – Canada, United StatesXysticus ellipticus Turnbull, Dondale & Redner, 1965 – Canada, United StatesXysticus emertoni Keyserling, 1880 – Russia, Kazakhstan, Central Asia, China, Alaska, Canada, United StatesXysticus fagei Lessert, 1919 – Tanzania, Zimbabwe, South AfricaXysticus ferox – Alaska, Canada, United StatesXysticus fervidus Gertsch, 1953 – Canada, United StatesXysticus fraternus Banks, 1895 – Canada, United StatesXysticus funestus Keyserling, 1880 – North AmericaXysticus gosiutus Gertsch, 1933 – Canada, United StatesXysticus gulosus Keyserling, 1880 – North AmericaXysticus havilandi Lawrence, 1942 – South AfricaXysticus locuples Keyserling, 1880 – North AmericaXysticus lucifugus Lawrence, 1937 – South AfricaXysticus luctans – Canada, United StatesXysticus luctuosus – North America, Europe, Turkey, Caucasus, Russia, Kazakhstan, Iran, Central AsiaXysticus montanensis Keyserling, 1887 – Alaska, Canada, United StatesXysticus mulleri Lawrence, 1952 – South Africa, Lesotho, EswatiniXysticus namaquensis Simon, 1910 – South AfricaXysticus natalensis Lawrence, 1938 – Zimbabwe, Mozambique, South Africa, Lesotho, EswatiniXysticus obscurus Collett, 1877 – North America, Europe, Russia Xysticus pellax O. Pickard-Cambridge, 1894 – North AmericaXysticus pretiosus Gertsch, 1934 – Alaska, Canada, United StatesXysticus punctatus Keyserling, 1880 – Canada, United StatesXysticus sagittifer Lawrence, 1927 – Namibia, South AfricaXysticus simonstownensis Strand, 1909 – South AfricaXysticus texanus Banks, 1904 – United States, MexicoXysticus triguttatus Keyserling, 1880 – Canada, United StatesXysticus tugelanus Lawrence, 1942 – South Africa, LesothoXysticus ulmi – Europe, Turkey, Caucasus, Russia, Central Asia, ChinaXysticus urbensis Lawrence, 1952 – South Africa, LesothoXysticus abditus Logunov, 2006 – Bulgaria, Greece, TurkeyXysticus acerbus Thorell, 1872 – Europe, Central Asia, Russia
- * X. a. obscurior Kulczyński, 1895 – MoldovaXysticus acquiescens Emerton, 1919 – Canada, United StatesXysticus advectus O. Pickard-Cambridge, 1890 – Guatemala, Costa RicaXysticus aethiopicus L. Koch, 1875 – EthiopiaXysticus albertensis Dondale, 2008 – CanadaXysticus albolimbatus Hu, 2001 – ChinaXysticus alboniger Turnbull, Dondale & Redner, 1965 – Canada, United StatesXysticus aletaiensis Hu & Wu, 1989 – Kazakhstan, ChinaXysticus alpicola Kulczyński, 1882 – Poland, Slovakia, UkraineXysticus alpinus Kulczyński, 1887 – Alps Xysticus alsus Song & Wang, 1994 – ChinaXysticus altaicus Simon, 1895 – KazakhstanXysticus altitudinis Levy, 1976 – IsraelXysticus ampullatus Turnbull, Dondale & Redner, 1965 – Canada, United StatesXysticus apachecus Gertsch, 1933 – United StatesXysticus apalacheus Gertsch, 1953 – United StatesXysticus apertus Banks, 1898 – MexicoXysticus apricus L. Koch, 1876 – ItalyXysticus aprilinus Bryant, 1930 – United StatesXysticus arenarius Thorell, 1875 – UkraineXysticus arenicola Simon, 1875 – FranceXysticus argenteus Jézéquel, 1966 – Ivory CoastXysticus asper – Canary IslandsXysticus atrimaculatus Bösenberg & Strand, 1906 – China, Korea, JapanXysticus auctificus Keyserling, 1880 – Canada, United StatesXysticus audax – Europe, Turkey, Caucasus, Russia, Kazakhstan, Iran, China, Korea, Japan
- * X. a. massanicus Simon, 1932 – FranceXysticus audaxoides B. S. Zhang, Y. Zhang & Song, 2004 – ChinaXysticus austrosibiricus Logunov & Marusik, 1998 – Russia, Kazakhstan, Mongolia, ChinaXysticus autumnalis L. Koch, 1875 – Australia Xysticus aztecus Gertsch, 1953 – MexicoXysticus bacurianensis Mcheidze, 1971 – Turkey, Caucasus Xysticus bakanas Marusik & Logunov, 1990 – KazakhstanXysticus banksi Bryant, 1933 – Canada, United StatesXysticus barbatus Caporiacco, 1936 – LibyaXysticus benefactor Keyserling, 1880 – Canada, United StatesXysticus bengalensis Tikader & Biswas, 1974 – IndiaXysticus bengdakus Saha & Raychaudhuri, 2007 – IndiaXysticus beni Strand, 1913 – DR CongoXysticus berlandi Schenkel, 1963 – ChinaXysticus bermani Marusik, 1994 – Russia, ChinaXysticus bharatae Gajbe & Gajbe, 1999 – IndiaXysticus bicolor L. Koch, 1867 – GreeceXysticus bicuspis Keyserling, 1887 – Canada, United StatesXysticus bifasciatus C. L. Koch, 1837 – Europe, Turkey, Caucasus, Russia, Kazakhstan, Central Asia, ChinaXysticus bimaculatus L. Koch, 1867 – Australia Xysticus bohdanowiczi Zhang, Zhu & Song, 2004 – ChinaXysticus bolivari Gertsch, 1953 – MexicoXysticus bradti Gertsch, 1953 – MexicoXysticus breviceps O. Pickard-Cambridge, 1885 – IndiaXysticus brevidentatus Wunderlich, 1995 – Italy, Croatia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Montenegro, AlbaniaXysticus britcheri Gertsch, 1934 – Russia, Alaska, Canada, United StatesXysticus brunneitibiis Caporiacco, 1939 – EthiopiaXysticus californicus Keyserling, 1880 – Canada, United States, MexicoXysticus canadensis Gertsch, 1934 – Russia, Canada, United StatesXysticus caspicus Utochkin, 1968 – Russia, Azerbaijan, Kazakhstan, TurkmenistanXysticus caucasius L. Koch, 1878 – GeorgiaXysticus chaparralis Schick, 1965 – United StatesXysticus charitonowi Mcheidze, 1971 – GeorgiaXysticus chippewa Gertsch, 1953 – North America, Northern EuropeXysticus chui Ono, 1992 – China, TaiwanXysticus cochise Gertsch, 1953 – United StatesXysticus coloradensis Bryant, 1930 – United StatesXysticus concinnus Kroneberg, 1875 – Central AsiaXysticus concretus Utochkin, 1968 – Russia, China, Korea, JapanXysticus concursus Gertsch, 1934 – United StatesXysticus conflatus Song, Tang & Zhu, 1995 – China, KoreaXysticus connectens Kulczyński, 1901 – ChinaXysticus cor Canestrini, 1873 – Azores, Southern Europe, Turkey, IranXysticus corsicus Simon, 1875 – France Xysticus crispabilis Song & Gao, 1996 – ChinaXysticus cristatus – Europe, Turkey, Caucasus, Russia, Kazakhstan, Iran, Central Asia, Nepal, China, Korea, Japan. Introduced to Canada, United StatesXysticus croceus Fox, 1937 – India, Nepal, Bhutan, China, Taiwan, Korea, Japan, VietnamXysticus cunctator Thorell, 1877 – Canada, United StatesXysticus curtus Banks, 1898 – MexicoXysticus dali Li & Yang, 2008 – ChinaXysticus davidi Schenkel, 1963 – Russia, ChinaXysticus denisi Schenkel, 1963 – ChinaXysticus desidiosus Simon, 1875 – EuropeXysticus discursans Keyserling, 1880 – North AmericaXysticus diversus – Italy Xysticus doriai – ItalyXysticus dzhungaricus Tystshenko, 1965 – Kazakhstan, Russia, Central Asia, ChinaXysticus edax – Turkey, Azerbaijan, Israel, Iraq, IranXysticus elegans Keyserling, 1880 – Canada, United StatesXysticus elephantus Ono, 1978 – Nepal, ChinaXysticus ellipticus Turnbull, Dondale & Redner, 1965 – Canada, United StatesXysticus emertoni Keyserling, 1880 – Russia, Kazakhstan, Central Asia, China, Alaska, Canada, United StatesXysticus ephippiatus Simon, 1880 – Kazakhstan, Russia, Central Asia, Mongolia, China, Korea, JapanXysticus erraticus – Europe, Turkey, Caucasus Xysticus facetus O. Pickard-Cambridge, 1896 – Mexico, El SalvadorXysticus fagei Lessert, 1919 – Tanzania, Zimbabwe, South AfricaXysticus federalis Gertsch, 1953 – MexicoXysticus ferox – Alaska, Canada, United StatesXysticus ferrugineus Menge, 1876 – Europe, Turkey, ChinaXysticus ferruginoides Schenkel, 1963 – Russia, MongoliaXysticus fervidus Gertsch, 1953 – Canada, United StatesXysticus flavitarsis Simon, 1878 – DR CongoXysticus flavovittatus Keyserling, 1880 – United StatesXysticus floridanus Banks, 1896 – United StatesXysticus fraternus Banks, 1895 – Canada, United StatesXysticus funestus Keyserling, 1880 – North AmericaXysticus furtivus Gertsch, 1936 – United StatesXysticus gallicus Simon, 1875 – Europe, Turkey, Caucasus, Iran
- * X. g. batumiensis Mcheidze & Utochkin, 1971 – GeorgiaXysticus gattefossei Denis, 1956 – MoroccoXysticus geometres L. Koch, 1874 – Australia Xysticus gertschi Schick, 1965 – North AmericaXysticus gortanii Caporiacco, 1922 – ItalyXysticus gosiutus Gertsch, 1933 – Canada, United StatesXysticus gracilis Keyserling, 1880 – ColombiaXysticus grallator Simon, 1932 – Portugal, Spain, France, ItalyXysticus guizhou Song & Zhu, 1997 – ChinaXysticus gulosus Keyserling, 1880 – North AmericaXysticus havilandi Lawrence, 1942 – South AfricaXysticus hedini Schenkel, 1936 – Russia, Mongolia, China, Korea, JapanXysticus helophilus Simon, 1890 – YemenXysticus hepaticus Simon, 1903 – MadagascarXysticus himalayaensis Tikader & Biswas, 1974 – IndiaXysticus hui Platnick, 1993 – ChinaXysticus humilis Redner & Dondale, 1966 – United StatesXysticus ibex Simon, 1875 – Spain, France, Italy
- * X. i. dalmasi Simon, 1932 – FranceXysticus ictericus L. Koch, 1874 – FijiXysticus idolothytus Logunov, 1995 – Kazakhstan, Mongolia, ChinaXysticus illaudatus Logunov, 1995 – Russia Xysticus imitarius Gertsch, 1953 – United StatesXysticus indiligens – United StatesXysticus insulicola Bösenberg & Strand, 1906 – Russia, China, Korea, JapanXysticus iviei Schick, 1965 – United States
- * X. i. sierrensis Schick, 1965 – United StatesXysticus jabalpurensis Gajbe & Gajbe, 1999 – IndiaXysticus japenus Roewer, 1938 – Indonesia Xysticus jiangi Peng, Yin & Kim, 2000 – ChinaXysticus jinlin Song & Zhu, 1995 – ChinaXysticus joyantius Tikader, 1966 – IndiaXysticus jugalis L. Koch, 1875 – Ethiopia
- * X. j. larvatus Caporiacco, 1949 – KenyaXysticus kalandadzei Mcheidze & Utochkin, 1971 – GeorgiaXysticus kali Tikader & Biswas, 1974 – IndiaXysticus kamakhyai Tikader, 1962 – IndiaXysticus kansuensis Tang, Song & Zhu, 1995 – China, JapanXysticus kashidi Tikader, 1963 – IndiaXysticus kaznakovi Utochkin, 1968 – North Macedonia, Bulgaria, Greece, Turkey, Caucasus, Iran, Turkmenistan, TajikistanXysticus kempeleni Thorell, 1872 – Europe, Central Asia
- * X. k. nigriceps Simon, 1932 – FranceXysticus khasiensis Tikader, 1980 – IndiaXysticus kochi Thorell, 1872 – Europe, Mediterranean, Central Asia
- * X. k. abchasicus Mcheidze & Utochkin, 1971 – GeorgiaXysticus kulczynskii Werjbitzky, 1902 – Georgia, Armenia, Azerbaijan, IranXysticus kurilensis Strand, 1907 – Russia, China, Korea, JapanXysticus kuzgi Marusik & Logunov, 1990 – Central AsiaXysticus laetus Thorell, 1875 – Italy, Caucasus, IranXysticus lanio C. L. Koch, 1835 – Europe, Turkey, Caucasus, Russia, TurkmenistanXysticus lapidarius Utochkin, 1968 – Central AsiaXysticus lassanus Chamberlin, 1925 – United States, MexicoXysticus latitabundus Logunov, 1995 – Russia Xysticus lepnevae Utochkin, 1968 – Russia, Korea, ChinaXysticus lesserti Schenkel, 1963 – ChinaXysticus lineatus – Europe, Caucasus, Russia, Kazakhstan, ChinaXysticus locuples Keyserling, 1880 – North AmericaXysticus logunovi Seyfulina & Mikhailov, 2004 – Russia Xysticus logunovorum Blick & Ono, 2021 – IranXysticus lucifugus Lawrence, 1937 – South AfricaXysticus luctans – Canada, United StatesXysticus luctator L. Koch, 1870 – Europe, Caucasus, Russia, KazakhstanXysticus luctuosus – North America, Europe, Turkey, Caucasus, Russia, Kazakhstan, Iran, Central AsiaXysticus lutzi Gertsch, 1935 – United States, MexicoXysticus macedonicus Šilhavý, 1944 – Germany, Switzerland, Austria, Italy, Kosovo, Albania, North Macedonia, Greece, TurkeyXysticus maculatipes Roewer, 1962 – AfghanistanXysticus maculiger Roewer, 1951 – PakistanXysticus manas Song & Zhu, 1995 – ChinaXysticus martensi Ono, 1978 – NepalXysticus marusiki Ono & Martens, 2005 – Turkey, IranXysticus metinaktasi Demir, Seyyar & Türker, 2017 – TurkeyXysticus mongolicus Schenkel, 1963 – Russia, Kazakhstan, Mongolia, ChinaXysticus montanensis Keyserling, 1887 – Alaska, Canada, United StatesXysticus mulleri Lawrence, 1952 – South Africa, Lesotho, EswatiniXysticus multiaculeatus Caporiacco, 1940 – EthiopiaXysticus mundulus O. Pickard-Cambridge, 1885 – IndiaXysticus namaquensis Simon, 1910 – South AfricaXysticus natalensis Lawrence, 1938 – Zimbabwe, Mozambique, South Africa, Lesotho, EswatiniXysticus nataliae Utochkin, 1968 – Russia Xysticus nigriceps Berland, 1922 – East AfricaXysticus nigropunctatus L. Koch, 1867 – Australia Xysticus nigrotrivittatus – Portugal, SpainXysticus nitidus Hu, 2001 – ChinaXysticus nubilus Simon, 1875 – Macaronesia, Mediterranean, GeorgiaXysticus nyingchiensis Song & Zhu, 1995 – ChinaXysticus obscurus Collett, 1877 – North America, Europe, Russia Xysticus ocala Gertsch, 1953 – United StatesXysticus orizaba Banks, 1898 – MexicoXysticus ovatus Simon, 1876 – FranceXysticus paiutus Gertsch, 1933 – United States, MexicoXysticus palawanicus Barrion & Litsinger, 1995 – PhilippinesXysticus palpimirabilis Marusik & Chevrizov, 1990 – KyrgyzstanXysticus parapunctatus Song & Zhu, 1995 – ChinaXysticus pearcei Schick, 1965 – United States, MexicoXysticus peccans O. Pickard-Cambridge, 1876 – EgyptXysticus pellax O. Pickard-Cambridge, 1894 – North AmericaXysticus peltiformus Zhang, Zhu & Song, 2004 – ChinaXysticus peninsulanus Gertsch, 1934 – United StatesXysticus periscelis Simon, 1908 – Australia Xysticus pieperi Ono & Martens, 2005 – IranXysticus pigrides Mello-Leitão, 1929 – Cape VerdeXysticus pingshan Zhang, Zhu & Song, 2004 – ChinaXysticus posti Sauer, 1968 – United StatesXysticus pretiosus Gertsch, 1934 – Alaska, Canada, United StatesXysticus promiscuus O. Pickard-Cambridge, 1876 – Italy, Egypt, IsraelXysticus pseudobliteus – Russia, Kazakhstan, Mongolia, China, KoreaXysticus pseudocristatus Azarkina & Logunov, 2001 – Russia, Kazakhstan, Central Asia, Pakistan, ChinaXysticus pseudolanio Wunderlich, 1995 – Bulgaria, Turkey, GeorgiaXysticus pseudoluctuosus Marusik & Logunov, 1995 – Turkey, Cyprus, TajikistanXysticus pulcherrimus Keyserling, 1880 – ColombiaXysticus punctatus Keyserling, 1880 – Canada, United StatesXysticus pygmaeus Tystshenko, 1965 – KazakhstanXysticus pynurus Tikader, 1968 – IndiaXysticus quadrispinus Caporiacco, 1933 – Libya
- * X. q. concolor Caporiacco, 1933 – LibyaXysticus quagga Jocqué, 1977 – MoroccoXysticus rainbowi Strand, 1901 – Papua New GuineaXysticus robinsoni Gertsch, 1953 – United States, MexicoXysticus rockefelleri Gertsch, 1953 – MexicoXysticus roonwali Tikader, 1964 – India, NepalXysticus rostratus Ono, 1988 – Russia, JapanXysticus ryukyuensis Ono, 2002 – JapanXysticus saganus Bösenberg & Strand, 1906 – Russia, China, Korea, JapanXysticus sagittifer Lawrence, 1927 – Namibia, South AfricaXysticus sansan Levy, 2007 – IsraelXysticus schoutedeni Lessert, 1943 – CongoXysticus semicarinatus Simon, 1932 – Portugal, Spain, FranceXysticus sharlaa Marusik & Logunov, 2002 – Russia, ChinaXysticus shillongensis Tikader, 1962 – IndiaXysticus shyamrupus Tikader, 1966 – IndiaXysticus siciliensis Wunderlich, 1995 – ItalyXysticus sicus Fox, 1937 – Russia, China, KoreaXysticus sikkimus Tikader, 1970 – India, ChinaXysticus silvestrii Simon, 1905 – ArgentinaXysticus simonstownensis Strand, 1909 – South AfricaXysticus sjostedti Schenkel, 1936 – Russia, Kazakhstan, Mongolia, ChinaXysticus slovacus Svatoň, Pekár & Prídavka, 2000 – Slovakia, Ukraine, Russia Xysticus soderbomi Schenkel, 1936 – Mongolia, ChinaXysticus soldatovi Utochkin, 1968 – Russia, ChinaXysticus spasskyi Utochkin, 1968 – Ukraine, CaucasusXysticus sphericus – United StatesXysticus spiethi Gertsch, 1953 – MexicoXysticus subjugalis Strand, 1906 – Ethiopia
- * X. s. nigerrimus Caporiacco, 1941 – EthiopiaXysticus tampa Gertsch, 1953 – United StatesXysticus tarcos L. Koch, 1875 – EthiopiaXysticus taukumkurt Marusik & Logunov, 1990 – KazakhstanXysticus tenuiapicalis Demir, 2012 – TurkeyXysticus texanus Banks, 1904 – United States, MexicoXysticus thessalicoides Wunderlich, 1995 – Greece, TurkeyXysticus thessalicus Simon, 1916 – Croatia, Albania, Bulgaria, Greece, Turkey, IsraelXysticus tikaderi Bhandari & Gajbe, 2001 – IndiaXysticus toltecus Gertsch, 1953 – MexicoXysticus torsivoides Song & Zhu, 1995 – ChinaXysticus tortuosus Simon, 1932 – Portugal, Austria, Morocco, AlgeriaXysticus transversomaculatus Bösenberg & Strand, 1906 – Korea, JapanXysticus triguttatus Keyserling, 1880 – Canada, United StatesXysticus trizonatus Ono, 1988 – JapanXysticus tsanghoensis Hu, 2001 – ChinaXysticus tugelanus Lawrence, 1942 – South Africa, LesothoXysticus turkmenicus Marusik & Logunov, 1995 – Iran, Kazakhstan, Central AsiaXysticus ukrainicus Utochkin, 1968 – Russia, GeorgiaXysticus ulmi – Europe, Turkey, Caucasus, Russia, Central Asia, ChinaXysticus urbensis Lawrence, 1952 – South Africa, LesothoXysticus urgumchak Marusik & Logunov, 1990 – Kazakhstan, TurkmenistanXysticus utochkini Esyunin & Efimik, 2025 – KazakhstanXysticus variabilis Keyserling, 1880 – United StatesXysticus verecundus Gertsch, 1934 – MexicoXysticus verneaui Simon, 1883 – Canary Islands, MadeiraXysticus viduus Kulczyński, 1898 – Europe, Turkey, Caucasus, Russia, KazakhstanXysticus viveki Gajbe, 2005 – IndiaXysticus wagneri Gertsch, 1953 – MexicoXysticus walesianus Karsch, 1878 – Australia Xysticus winnipegensis Turnbull, Dondale & Redner, 1965 – CanadaXysticus wunderlichi Logunov, Marusik & Trilikauskas, 2001 – Russia, ChinaXysticus xerodermus Strand, 1913 – Turkey, Israel, IranXysticus xiningensis Hu, 2001 – ChinaXysticus yebongensis Lee & Kim, 2018 – KoreaXysticus yogeshi Gajbe, 2005 – India