Crab spider - Kanigumo (English spelling) crab spider

A general term for terrestrial animals of the family Thomisidae (particularly the subfamily Thomisinae) of the order Araneae of the class Arachnida of the phylum Arthropoda. They are so named because their first and second legs are long and they can walk sideways as well as forwards. They do not spin webs but hide in the shadows and attack their prey suddenly. There are many types, and there are about 40 species of Thomisidae in Japan. The flower spider Misumenops tricuspidatus is a beautiful green spider with a body length of 5 to 6 millimeters that catches insects that come to flowers. The yellow crab spider Xysticus croceus is brown with a body length of 7 to 8 millimeters and wanders among the grass. The grass spider Synaema globosum is about 7 millimeters long and has a black marking in the shape of the character "F" on its yellow abdomen. Many members of the Thomisidae family are named after crustaceans, and in addition to crab spiders, they include shrimp spiders, giant crab spiders, Chinese giant spiders, and hermit spiders.

[Takeo Yaginuma]

Source: Shogakukan Encyclopedia Nipponica About Encyclopedia Nipponica Information | Legend

節足動物門クモ形綱真正クモ目カニグモ科（とくにカニグモ亜科）の陸生動物の総称。第1、第2脚が長く、前方のほか側方にも歩けるのでこの名がある。網を張らず物陰に潜み、不意に獲物を襲う。種類は多く、日本ではカニグモ科のものは約40種いる。ハナグモMisumenops tricuspidatusは体長5～6ミリメートルで、緑色の美しいクモで花にくる昆虫をとらえる。ヤミイロカニグモXysticus croceusは体長7～8ミリメートルで、褐色で、草間を徘徊(はいかい)する。フノジグモSynaema globosumは体長約7ミリメートルで、黄色の腹部に黒色の「不」の字の斑紋(はんもん)がある。カニグモ科には甲殻類の名をとったものが多く、カニグモのほかにエビグモ、シャコグモ、ガザミグモ、ヤドカリグモなどがある。

［八木沼健夫］

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