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crab spider

Translation
crab spider
any crab-shaped spider of the family Thomisidae, characterized by its sideways manner of moving.
[1860-65]

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▪ spider
 family of spiders (order Araneida) that are crablike in shape and, like many crabs, often walk sideways or backward. The family, which is worldwide in distribution, contains many common species that live on the soil surface, in leaf litter, or under bark. About 125 species occur in the United States.

      The body of most crab spiders is gray or brown in colour and is about 12 mm (0.5 inch) long. They do not spin a web but instead wait in hiding for prey. Members of Misumena and Misumenoides, common North American genera, are found chiefly in open spaces, on plants, or on fences. Misumena vatia, found on flowers, is white or yellow with a red stripe on the side of the abdomen. Over a period of several days it can change colour to match that of the flower on which it rests.

      Other spiders sometimes known as crab spiders are found in the families Platoridae, Heteropodidae, and Selenopidae.

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Universalium. 2010.

  
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  • Crab spider — Crab Crab (kr[a^]b), n. [AS. crabba; akin to D. krab, G. krabbe, krebs, Icel. krabbi, Sw. krabba, Dan. krabbe, and perh. to E. cramp. Cf. {Crawfish}.] 1. (Zo[ o]l.) One of the brachyuran Crustacea. They are mostly marine, and usually have a broad …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • Crab spider — Not to be confused with spider crab. Crab spiders Ozyptila praticola Scientific classification Kingdom …   Wikipedia

  • crab spider — noun Date: 1861 any of a family (Thomisidae) of spiders that resemble crabs in shape and in being able to walk forward, backward, and sideways …   New Collegiate Dictionary

  • crab spider — noun Any species of the family Thomisidae, spiders that hunt in flowers …   Wiktionary

  • Flower crab spider — Misumena vatia female Scientific classification Kingdom …   Wikipedia

  • Wall crab spider — Taxobox name = Wall crab spiders image width = 250px image caption = Selenops sp. regnum = Animalia phylum = Arthropoda classis = Arachnida ordo = Araneae zoosectio = Entelegynae superfamilia = Selenopioidea familia = Selenopidae familia… …   Wikipedia

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