The true Crab spiders are a group of spiders which belong to the family Thomisidae or thomisids. The common name for this group is 'flower spiders'. They do not build webs to catch their prey like other spiders. Instead they ambush insects by hiding on flowers. They are able to do this because the spider can change the color of its body to match the color of the flower on which it is hiding. They are called crab spiders because of their first two pairs of legs, which are held out to the side giving them (with their flattened, angular bodies) a crab-like appearance. Also, like crabs, these spiders move sideways and backwards more easily than forwards.
| Crab spiders | |
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| Crab spider | |
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| Family: | Thomisidae Sundevall, 1833
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One of the most common genera is Misumena.