Philodromidae Explained

Philodromidae, also known as philodromid crab spiders and running crab spiders, is a family of araneomorph spiders first described by Tord Tamerlan Teodor Thorell in 1870 (then known as subfamily Philodrominae within Thomisidae).^[1] It contains over 500 species in thirty genera.

The most common genus is Philodromus which is widespread, similar to Ebo. Other common genera include the elongate grass-dwelling Tibellus and the widespread Thanatus, which includes the house crab spider that commonly captures flies on and in buildings.^[2]

Description

Philodromids have a crab-like shape due to the first two pairs of legs being oriented sideways (laterigrade).^[3] This is superficially similar to the "true" crab spiders (Thomisidae), such as Misumena vatia, but these families are not as closely related as previously thought.^[4] Unlike crab spiders, the legs are generally similar in size, though the second leg pair may be significantly longer than the first pair. This is most evident in Ebo, where the second pair of legs are twice as long as the first pair in some species. Philodromids have scopula only at the tips of the tarsi (unlike sparassids) and the eyes are in two curved rows with the posterior row wider than the anterior row. In terms of colouration, they are usually cream to light brown and have faint longitudinal stripes.^[5]

Ecology

Philodromidae are active predators and often occur on the stems and leaves of plants.^[6] Some occur only on deciduous trees and others only on conifers. A small number of species live in deserts. Instead of building webs to catch prey, they hunt by ambush.

Genera

See main article: List of Philodromidae species., the World Spider Catalog accepts the following genera:^[7]

• Apollophanes O. Pickard-Cambridge, 1898 — North America, Asia, Trinidad, Panama, Ecuador
• Bacillocnemis Mello-Leitão, 1938 — Argentina
• Berlandiella Mello-Leitão, 1929 — Brazil, Argentina
• Cleocnemis Simon, 1886 — South America
• Ebo Keyserling, 1884 — Asia, North America, Argentina
• Eminella Özdikmen, 2007 — Argentina
• Fageia Mello-Leitão, 1929 — Brazil
• Gephyrellula Strand, 1932 — Brazil
• Gephyrina Simon, 1895 — South America, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines
• Gephyrota Strand, 1932 — Asia, Africa, Australia
• Halodromus Muster, 2009 — Spain, Asia, Africa
• Hirriusa Strand, 1932 — Namibia, South Africa
• Metacleocnemis Mello-Leitão, 1929 — Brazil
• Pagiopalus Simon, 1900 — Hawaii
• Paracleocnemis Schiapelli & Gerschman, 1942 — Argentina
• Pedinopistha Karsch, 1880 — Hawaii
• Petrichus Simon, 1886 — South America
• Philodromops Mello-Leitão, 1943 — Brazil
• Philodromus Walckenaer, 1826 — North America, Asia, Africa, Oceania, Europe, Caribbean, Central America, Venezuela
• Procleocnemis Mello-Leitão, 1929 — Brazil
• Psellonus Simon, 1897 — India
• Pseudopsellonus Balogh, 1936 — Papua New Guinea
• Pulchellodromus Wunderlich, 2012 — Algeria, Europe, Asia
• Rhysodromus Schick, 1965 — Asia, North America
• Suemus Simon, 1895 — Sierra Leone, Vietnam, South Africa
• Thanatus C. L. Koch, 1837 — Africa, Asia, North America, Europe, South America
• Tibellus Simon, 1875 — North America, Asia, Africa, South America, Cuba, Italy, Australia
• Tibitanus Simon, 1907 — Namibia, Guinea-Bissau, Guinea
• Titanebo Gertsch, 1933 — United States, Mexico
• Vacchellia Caporiacco, 1935 — Karakorum

incertae sedis

• Euthanatus Petrunkevitch, 1950 † (fossil)
• Filiolella Petrunkevitch, 1955 † (fossil)
• Medela Petrunkevitch, 1942 † (fossil)

See also

• List of Philodromidae species

External links

• Platnick, N.I. 2003. World Spider Catalog
• Picture of a philodromid
• Identification of European genera and species

Notes and References

1. Thorell. T.. 1870. On European spiders. Nova Acta Regiae Societatis Scientiarum Upsaliensis. 3. 7. 109–242.
2. Kulczyński. W.. 1903. Aranearum et Opilionum species in insula Creta a comite Dre Carolo Attems collectae. Bulletin International de l'Académie des Sciences de Cracovie. 1903. 50.
3. Web site: araneae - Key to families . 2022-07-12 . araneae.nmbe.ch . en.
4. Homann . H. . 1975 . Die Stellung der Thomisidae und der Philodromidae im System der Araneae (Chelicerata, Arachnida) . Zeitschrift für Morphologie der Tiere . 80 . 3 . 181–202 . 10.1007/BF00285652 . 2027596.
5. Web site: PHILODROMIDAE Philodromids . 2022-07-12 . www.arachne.org.au.
6. Web site: Philodromid Crab Spiders - Encyclopedia of Life . 2022-07-12 . eol.org . en.
7. Web site: Family: Philodromidae Thorell, 1870. World Spider Catalog. 2019-04-23. Natural History Museum Bern.