Misumena vatia (Clerck, 1757)
goldenrod crab spider
Verified Images
Males
Females
How to Identify Misumena vatia (Clerck, 1757)
Family: THOMISIDAE Sundevall, 1833
Genus: Misumena Latreille, 1804
Species: Misumena vatia (Clerck, 1757)
Origin of Name: The Genus Misumena is Greek for "to hate", while the specific epithet vatia is Latin for "bow-legged".
Official Common Name: goldenrod crab spider
Males
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Females
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Can Be Confused With
Misumena vatia (Clerck, 1757) can be confused with Misumenoides formosipes (Walckenaer, 1837) (whitebanded crab spider). The latter is found from California to Florida and northward to the Great Lakes. Females and males of M. formospides have a characteristic v-shaped marking on the dorsal surface of their abdomens (see below) and also have a white ridge on the front of the carapace, whereas M. vatia do not.
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| M. formosipes (Walckenear, 1837) female (image courtesy Tom Murray) | M. formosipes (Walckenaer, 1837) male (image courtesy Dept. Entomology, U. of Nebraska-Lincoln) |
Range
California and Mexico to Florida, north to Alaska and Newfoundland and Labrador; Europe, Asia, and North Africa.
Collection Map of Museum Specimens
in The Nearctic Spider Database

Other Web Pages
Animal Diversity Web (http://animaldiversity.ummz.umich.edu/site/accounts/information/Misumena_vatia.html)
The Nearctic Spider Database (http://www.canadianarachnology.org/data/spiders/30580)
Recent Submissions
Observation:
Found on a blue passion flower, quietly munching on a bee in the Botanical Gardens at Golden Gate Park.
Observation:
Photographed this tiny crab spider caught in a bug sweep by an instructor teaching a class about fall insects.




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