Thomisus

{{Short description|Genus of spiders}} {{Automatic taxobox | name = | image = Thomisus granulatus 15194394.jpg | image_caption = Female ''T. granulatus'' from South Africa | image2 = Thomisus onustus, male 1.JPG | image2_caption = Male ''T. onustus'' from Italy | fossil_range = {{Fossil range|Palaeogene|present}} | taxon = Thomisus | authority = Walckenaer, 1805 | type_species = ''Thomisus onustus'' | type_species_authority = Walckenaer, 1805 | subdivision_ranks = Species | subdivision = See text | diversity = 137 species | diversity_link = #Species | range_map = }}

'''''Thomisus''''' is a genus of crab spiders (family Thomisidae) with around 140 described species.<ref name="wsc" /> The genus includes species that vary widely in their ecology, with some that are ambush predators that feed on insects visiting flowers. Like several other genera in the family Thomisidae, they are sometimes referred to as '''flower crab spiders''', from their crab-like motion and their way of holding their front legs, reminiscent of a crab spreading its claws as a threat.

==Description and behavior== thumb|left|The eye arrangement of spiders in the genus ''Thomisus''

As with most ''Thomisidae'' species, ''Thomisus'' exhibit sexual size dimorphism: females are {{cvt|4|to|10|mm}} in length, whereas males are only {{cvt|2|to|7|mm}}. Many species are brightly colored, usually matching the color of the flower in which they are waiting in ambush.<ref name="murphy2000" /> Not all species are flower-dwelling, but among those that are, at least some species can change their colour over a period of some days to match the flower colour.<ref name="filmer1997" /> Studies suggest that bees are inclined to avoid a flower that contains a spider-sized object of a non-matching colour; whether this is specifically a mechanism for avoiding crab spiders, or simply that they are not attracted to flowers whose nectar guides are obscured however, is a more difficult question.<ref name="dukas2003" /> The colour changes that such species can achieve are typically in ranges of white, pink, and yellow.

[[File:Crab Spider (Thomisus) on Lavandula 5637.jpg|South African ''Thomisus'' sp. on ''Lavandula''|thumb|left]]

For example, in ''Thomisus spectabilis'', the method of camouflage is similar to the ''Misumena vatia'', though ''T. spectabilis'' are visible to their prey, but not their predators. This species of crab spiders is UV reflective while the flower is UV absorbing creating a contrast between the spider and flower through the eyes of the pollinator.<ref name="gawr2012" /> The contrast created greatly attracts pollinators such as honeybees. This evolutionary method of camouflage increased the likelihood the crab spiders encountered prey, which in turn effects the fitness of the crab spiders. Due to the increased encounter rate of prey the spiders are able to focus energy on reproduction therefore leading to increased fitness in the spiders. The evolutionary method of camouflage greatly increases the survivability and fitness of crab spiders.

==Distribution== The distribution of ''Thomisus'' species is almost worldwide, with the notable exception of most of South America.<ref name=wsc/> Although ''Thomisus'' species can be found almost anywhere on earth, most species occur in the tropics and the warmer regions of the Old World, with fewer species in the region from New Guinea to Australia and the New World. Only ''Thomisus guadahyrensis'' is known from South America (in Peru).

==Species== {{as of|2025|9}}, this genus includes 137 species and five subspecies.<ref name="wsc" />

Species with articles on Wikipedia: {{Div col}} * ''Thomisus australis'' Comellini, 1957 – DR Congo, Burundi, Tanzania, Malawi, Mozambique, South Africa, Lesotho * ''Thomisus blandus'' Karsch, 1880 – Sub-Saharan Africa, Yemen * ''Thomisus callidus'' (Thorell, 1890) – Sri Lanka, Singapore, Indonesia (Sumatra, Nias Is., Java) * ''Thomisus citrinellus'' Simon, 1875 – Mediterranean, Africa, Seychelles, Yemen (mainland, Socotra), Iraq, Iran? * ''Thomisus congoensis'' Comellini, 1957 – Cape Verde, DR Congo, Angola, South Africa, Eswatini * ''Thomisus dalmasi'' Lessert, 1919 – Guinea, Cameroon, DR Congo, Rwanda, Tanzania, Malawi, Mozambique, South Africa * ''Thomisus daradioides'' Simon, 1890 – Africa to India * ''Thomisus ghesquierei'' Lessert, 1943 – DR Congo, South Africa * ''Thomisus granulatus'' Karsch, 1880 – Zambia, Malawi, Namibia, Botswana, South Africa, Eswatini * ''Thomisus granulifrons'' Simon, 1906 – India, Sri Lanka * ''Thomisus guadahyrensis'' Keyserling, 1880 – Peru * ''Thomisus kalaharinus'' Lawrence, 1936 – Sub-Saharan Africa, Yemen * ''Thomisus kitamurai'' Nakatsudi, 1943 – Japan (Ryukyu Is.) * ''Thomisus labefactus'' Karsch, 1881 – Korea, Japan, China, Taiwan, Thailand * ''Thomisus machadoi'' Comellini, 1959 – Cape Verde, Angola, South Africa * ''Thomisus marginifrons'' Schenkel, 1963 – China * ''Thomisus natalensis'' Lawrence, 1942 – Zimbabwe, South Africa * ''Thomisus nepenthiphilus'' Fage, 1930 – Indonesia (Sumatra) * ''Thomisus okinawensis'' Strand, 1907 – Thailand to Japan (Ryukyu Is.), Philippines, Indonesia * ''Thomisus onustus'' Walckenaer, 1805 – Savage Islands, Europe, North Africa, Turkey, Caucasus, Russia (Europe to South Siberia), Israel, Jordan, Iran, Kazakhstan, Central Asia, China, Korea, Japan (type species) * ''Thomisus schultzei'' Simon, 1910 – Namibia, Botswana, South Africa * ''Thomisus scrupeus'' (Simon, 1886) – Sub-Saharan Africa * ''Thomisus socotrensis'' Dippenaar-Schoeman & van Harten, 2007 – Yemen (Socotra) * ''Thomisus spectabilis'' Doleschall, 1859 – India to Australia * ''Thomisus spiculosus'' Pocock, 1901 – Nigeria, DR Congo, Tanzania, Zimbabwe, Mozambique, South Africa * ''Thomisus stenningi'' Pocock, 1900 – Africa, Seychelles, Yemen * ''Thomisus zuluanus'' Lawrence, 1942 – South Africa {{Div col end}}

<gallery mode=packed heights=140px> Thomisus congoensis 300083386 540663139.jpg|Male ''T. congoensis'' Thomisus kitamurai.male.-.tanikawa.jpg|Male ''Thomisus kitamurai'' from Japan Thomisus kitamurai.female.1.-.tanikawa.jpg|Female ''Thomisus kitamurai'' in Japan Thomisus.okinawensis.female.1.-.tanikawa.jpg|Female ''Thomisus okinawensis'' in Japan Thomisus labefactus.jpg|Female ''Thomisus labefactus'' </gallery>

{{Collapse top|Complete species list {{as of|2025|9|lc=yes}}}} {{Div col}} * ''Thomisus albens'' O. Pickard-Cambridge, 1885 – Pakistan, China, (Yarkand) * ''Thomisus albertianus'' Strand, 1913 – Gabon, DR Congo, Uganda, Angola ** ''T. a. guineensis'' Millot, 1942 – Guinea, Angola ** ''T. a. maculatus'' Comellini, 1959 – Cameroon, DR Congo ** ''T. a. verrucosus'' Comellini, 1957 – DR Congo * ''Thomisus albohirtus'' Simon, 1884 – Sudan, Ethiopia, Somalia, Yemen, Iran? * ''Thomisus amadelphus'' Simon, 1909 – Vietnam * ''Thomisus andamanensis'' Tikader, 1980 – India (mainland, Andaman Is.) * ''Thomisus angulatulus'' Roewer, 1951 – Gabon * ''Thomisus angustifrons'' Lucas, 1858 – Gabon * ''Thomisus arabicus'' Simon, 1882 – Yemen * ''Thomisus armillatus'' (Thorell, 1891) – India (Nicobar Is.) * ''Thomisus aruni'' Biswas & Raychaudhuri, 2023 – Bangladesh * ''Thomisus ashishi'' Gajbe, 2005 – India * ''Thomisus australis'' Comellini, 1957 – DR Congo, Burundi, Tanzania, Malawi, Mozambique, South Africa, Lesotho * ''Thomisus baghdeoi'' Gajbe, 2004 – India * ''Thomisus bargi'' Gajbe, 2004 – India * ''Thomisus benoiti'' Comellini, 1959 – DR Congo * ''Thomisus bhagabatii'' Biswas & Raychaudhuri, 2024 – Bangladesh * ''Thomisus bicolor'' Walckenaer, 1837 – United States * ''Thomisus bidentatus'' Kulczyński, 1901 – West Africa, Saudi Arabia, Yemen * ''Thomisus bigibbosus'' Keyserling, 1881 – United States * ''Thomisus blandus'' Karsch, 1880 – Sub-Saharan Africa, Yemen * ''Thomisus boesenbergi'' Lenz, 1891 – Madagascar * ''Thomisus bonnieri'' Simon, 1902 – Oman * ''Thomisus bueanus'' Strand, 1916 – Cameroon * ''Thomisus bulani'' Tikader, 1960 – India * ''Thomisus callidus'' (Thorell, 1890) – Sri Lanka, Singapore, Indonesia (Sumatra, Nias Is., Java) * ''Thomisus candidus'' Blackwall, 1866 – south-east equatorial Africa * ''Thomisus castaneiceps'' Simon, 1909 – Vietnam * ''Thomisus cavaleriei'' Schenkel, 1963 – China * ''Thomisus citrinellus'' Simon, 1875 – Mediterranean, Africa, Seychelles, Yemen (mainland, Socotra), Iraq, Iran? * ''Thomisus congoensis'' Comellini, 1957 – Cape Verde, DR Congo, Angola, South Africa, Eswatini * ''Thomisus dalmasi'' Lessert, 1919 – Guinea, Cameroon, DR Congo, Rwanda, Tanzania, Malawi, Mozambique, South Africa * ''Thomisus danieli'' Gajbe, 2004 – India * ''Thomisus daradioides'' Simon, 1890 – Africa, India ** ''T. d. nigroannulatus'' Caporiacco, 1947 – Tanzania * ''Thomisus dartevellei'' Comellini, 1957 – DR Congo, Ethiopia, Malawi * ''Thomisus dentiger'' (Thorell, 1887) – Myanmar * ''Thomisus destefanii'' Caporiacco, 1941 – Ethiopia * ''Thomisus dhakuriensis'' Tikader, 1960 – India * ''Thomisus dhananjayi'' Gajbe, 2005 – India * ''Thomisus duriusculus'' (Thorell, 1877) – Indonesia (Sulawesi) * ''Thomisus dyali'' Kumari & Mittal, 1997 – India * ''Thomisus elongatus'' Stoliczka, 1869 – India * ''Thomisus eminulus'' Tang & Li, 2010 – China * ''Thomisus galeatus'' Simon, 1909 – Vietnam * ''Thomisus ghesquierei'' Lessert, 1943 – DR Congo, South Africa * ''Thomisus godavariae'' Reddy & Patel, 1992 – India * ''Thomisus gouluensis'' Peng, Yin & Kim, 2000 – China * ''Thomisus granulatus'' Karsch, 1880 – Zambia, Malawi, Namibia, Botswana, South Africa, Eswatini * ''Thomisus granulifrons'' Simon, 1906 – India, Sri Lanka * ''Thomisus guadahyrensis'' Keyserling, 1880 – Peru * ''Thomisus guangxicus'' Song & Zhu, 1995 – China * ''Thomisus hararinus'' Caporiacco, 1947 – Ethiopia * ''Thomisus hui'' Song & Zhu, 1995 – China * ''Thomisus hunanensis'' Peng, Yin & Kim, 2000 – China * ''Thomisus ilocanus'' Barrion & Litsinger, 1995 – Philippines * ''Thomisus iswadus'' Barrion & Litsinger, 1995 – Philippines * ''Thomisus italongus'' Barrion & Litsinger, 1995 – Philippines * ''Thomisus janinae'' Comellini, 1957 – DR Congo, Tanzania * ''Thomisus jocquei'' Dippenaar-Schoeman, 1988 – Malawi * ''Thomisus kalaharinus'' Lawrence, 1936 – Sub-Saharan Africa, Yemen * ''Thomisus katrajghatus'' Tikader, 1963 – India * ''Thomisus keralae'' Biswas & Roy, 2005 – India * ''Thomisus kitamurai'' Nakatsudi, 1943 – Japan (Ryukyu Is.) * ''Thomisus kiwuensis'' Strand, 1913 – Central Africa * ''Thomisus kokiwadai'' Gajbe, 2004 – India * ''Thomisus krishnae'' Reddy & Patel, 1992 – India * ''Thomisus labefactus'' Karsch, 1881 – Korea, Japan, China, Taiwan, Thailand * ''Thomisus laglaizei'' Simon, 1877 – Myanmar, Philippines, Indonesia (Java, Sumatra) * ''Thomisus lamperti'' Strand, 1907 – Madagascar * ''Thomisus leucaspis'' Simon, 1906 – India, New Caledonia * ''Thomisus litoris'' Strand, 1913 – DR Congo and/or Uganda * ''Thomisus lobosus'' Tikader, 1965 – India * ''Thomisus ludhianaensis'' Kumari & Mittal, 1997 – India * ''Thomisus machadoi'' Comellini, 1959 – Cape Verde, Angola, South Africa * ''Thomisus madagascariensis'' Comellini, 1957 – Madagascar ** ''T. m. pallidus'' Comellini, 1957 – Madagascar * ''Thomisus magaspangus'' Barrion, Barrion-Dupo & Heong, 2013 – China (Hainan) * ''Thomisus manishae'' Gajbe, 2005 – India * ''Thomisus manjuae'' Gajbe, 2005 – India * ''Thomisus marginifrons'' Schenkel, 1963 – China * ''Thomisus meenae'' Gajbe, 2005 – India * ''Thomisus melanostethus'' Simon, 1909 – Vietnam * ''Thomisus mimae'' Sen & Basu, 1963 – India * ''Thomisus modestus'' Blackwall, 1870 – Italy * ''Thomisus natalensis'' Lawrence, 1942 – Zimbabwe, South Africa * ''Thomisus nepenthiphilus'' Fage, 1930 – Indonesia (Sumatra) * ''Thomisus nirmali'' Saha & Raychaudhuri, 2007 – India * ''Thomisus obscuratus'' Caporiacco, 1947 – Eritrea * ''Thomisus obtusesetulosus'' Roewer, 1961 – Senegal * ''Thomisus ochraceus'' Walckenaer, 1841 – Algeria * ''Thomisus odiosus'' O. Pickard-Cambridge, 1898 – Mexico * ''Thomisus okinawensis'' Strand, 1907 – Thailand, Japan (Ryukyu Is.), Philippines, Indonesia * ''Thomisus onustus'' Walckenaer, 1805 – Savage Islands, Europe, North Africa, Turkey, Caucasus, Russia (Europe to South Siberia), Israel, Jordan, Iran, Kazakhstan, Central Asia, China, Korea, Japan (type species) * ''Thomisus oscitans'' Walckenaer, 1837 – United States * ''Thomisus pateli'' Gajbe, 2004 – India * ''Thomisus pathaki'' Gajbe, 2004 – India * ''Thomisus penicillatus'' Simon, 1909 – Vietnam * ''Thomisus perspicillatus'' (Thorell, 1890) – Borneo (not specified) * ''Thomisus pooneus'' Tikader, 1965 – India * ''Thomisus pritiae'' Gajbe, 2005 – India * ''Thomisus projectus'' Tikader, 1960 – India * ''Thomisus pugilis'' Stoliczka, 1869 – Pakistan, India * ''Thomisus rajani'' Bhandari & Gajbe, 2001 – India * ''Thomisus retirugus'' Simon, 1909 – Vietnam * ''Thomisus rigoratus'' Simon, 1906 – India * ''Thomisus rishus'' Tikader, 1970 – India * ''Thomisus roeweri'' Comellini, 1957 – Tanzania * ''Thomisus schoutedeni'' Comellini, 1957 – DR Congo * ''Thomisus schultzei'' Simon, 1910 – Namibia, Botswana, South Africa * ''Thomisus scrupeus'' (Simon, 1886) – Sub-Saharan Africa * ''Thomisus shillongensis'' Sen, 1963 – India * ''Thomisus shivajiensis'' Tikader, 1965 – India * ''Thomisus sikkimensis'' Tikader, 1962 – India * ''Thomisus simoni'' Gajbe, 2004 – India * ''Thomisus socotrensis'' Dippenaar-Schoeman & van Harten, 2007 – Yemen (Socotra) * ''Thomisus spectabilis'' Doleschall, 1859 – India, Australia * ''Thomisus spiculosus'' Pocock, 1901 – Nigeria, DR Congo, Tanzania, Zimbabwe, Mozambique, South Africa * ''Thomisus stenningi'' Pocock, 1900 – Africa, Seychelles, Yemen * ''Thomisus stigmatisatus'' Walckenaer, 1837 – United States * ''Thomisus stoliczkai'' (Thorell, 1887) – Myanmar * ''Thomisus sundari'' Gajbe & Gajbe, 2001 – India * ''Thomisus swatowensis'' Strand, 1907 – China * ''Thomisus telanganaensis'' Pravalikha & Srinivasulu, 2015 – India * ''Thomisus tetricus'' Simon, 1890 – Yemen * ''Thomisus transversus'' Fox, 1937 – China * ''Thomisus tripunctatus'' Lucas, 1858 – West Africa * ''Thomisus tuberculatus'' Dyal, 1935 – Pakistan * ''Thomisus unidentatus'' Dippenaar-Schoeman & van Harten, 2007 – Yemen, Iraq, Iran, Pakistan, India * ''Thomisus venulatus'' Walckenaer, 1841 – Algeria * ''Thomisus viveki'' Gajbe, 2004 – India * ''Thomisus vulnerabilis'' Mello-Leitão, 1929 – Myanmar * ''Thomisus wangi'' Tang, Yin & Peng, 2012 – China * ''Thomisus whitakeri'' Gajbe, 2004 – India * ''Thomisus yarang'' Wang, Lu & Z. S. Zhang, 2024 – China * ''Thomisus yemensis'' Dippenaar-Schoeman & van Harten, 2007 – Yemen * ''Thomisus zaheeri'' Parveen, Khan, Mushtaq, Ahmad & Rana, 2008 – Pakistan * ''Thomisus zhui'' Tang & Song, 1988 – China * ''Thomisus zuluanus'' Lawrence, 1942 – South Africa * ''Thomisus zyuzini'' Marusik & Logunov, 1990 – Turkey, Cyprus, Saudi Arabia, Central Asia, Mongolia {{Div col end}} {{Collapse bottom}}

==References== {{Reflist|refs= <ref name="wsc">{{cite web | url=https://wsc.nmbe.ch/genus/3741 | title=Genus Thomisus | publisher=World Spider Catalog | doi=10.24436/2 | accessdate=26 September 2025}}</ref> <ref name=dukas2003>Reuven Dukas and Douglass H. Morse; Crab spiders affect flower visitation by bees; OIKOS 101: 157–163, 2003</ref> <ref name=filmer1997>{{cite book |last=Filmer |first=Martin |title=Southern African Spiders |publisher=BHB International / Struik |year=1997 |isbn=1-86825-188-8 |location=City}}</ref> <ref name=gawr2012>Gawryszewski, F. M., A. L. Llandres, and M. E. Herberstein. "Relationship between colouration and body condition in a crab spider that lures pollinators." Journal of Experimental Biology 215, no. 7 (2012): 1128-1136.</ref> <ref name=murphy2000>{{cite book |author1=Murphy, Frances |title=An Introduction to the Spiders of South-East Asia |author2=Murphy, John |publisher=Malaysian Nature Society |year=2000 |isbn=983-9681-17-6 |location=City |name-list-style=amp}}</ref> }}

==External links== * {{inaturalist taxon}}

Category:Thomisidae Category:Thomisidae genera Category:Cosmopolitan spiders