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Xysticus pretiosus Gertsch, 1934

	FAMILY: THOMISIDAE Sundevall, 1833     Genus: Xysticus C. L. Koch, 1835         Species: Xysticus pretiosus Gertsch, 1934
	Author: Hancock, John Page views: 758 Write a Review: Visitor Comments: (0)

General Comments: Lay-in-wait predator, particular among grass and flower heads (Hancock, pers. obs.).

Family Common Name:  crab spiders
Genus Common Name:  ground crab spiders
Species Common Name:  none

Global Distribution: USA, Canada
Nearctic States & Provinces: (from the Nearctic Spider Database)   AB BC AK CA WA
Collection Locales Mapped by Year Collected: (from the Nearctic Spider Database)

Specimen Search Specimen list 26, 4

Feeding Guild:^† ambushers
^†Feeding guild when noted defined by Uetz, G. W., J. Halaj, and A. B. Cady. 1999. Guild structure of spiders in major crops. Journal of Arachnology 27:270-280. PDF
Recorded Habitats: Most often encountered among the field layer (Hancock, pers. obs.).
Life & Natural History: (not yet recorded or unknown)

Seasonality of Specimen Records: (from the Nearctic Spider Database - Requires Flash plug-in - refresh this page if not visible)

Image(s) of Habitus:

Description: Carapace dark brown with pale median area enclosing pale V, with brown area anterior to dorsal groove. Legs mottled dark brown and yellow. Dorsum of abdomen with pairs of dark spots separated by pale bands along midline, and with some pale transverse bands. Transversely oriented tegular apophyses of the palp (Dondale & Redner, 1978).

Male Dimensions: A = 2.54 mm  A+B = 3.25 mm  C = 2.35 mm

Image of External Male Genitalia: Credit: Hancock, John

Description: Carapace pale brown and pale median area enclosing pale V, with brown area anterior to dorsal groove. Legs mottled dark brown and yellow. Dorsum of abdomen with pairs of dark spots separated by pale bands along midline, and with some pale transverse bands. Small, widely separated atrial sclerites and plump spermathecae (Dondale & Redner, 1978).

Female Dimensions: A = 2.5 mm  A+B = 4.75 mm  C = 2.3 mm

Image of Epigynum: Credit: Slowik, Joey

Descriptions Source:
Dondale, C. D. & J. H. Redner. 1978. The insects and arachnids of Canada, Part 5. The crab spiders of Canada and Alaska, Araneae: Philodromidae and Thomisidae. Research Branch, Agriculture Canada, Publ. 1663: 1-255.

Xysticus pretiosus Gertsch 1934 urn:lsid:ubio.org:namebank:1990942

Xysticus pretiosus Gertsch 1939 urn:lsid:ubio.org:namebank:1990943

Xysticus pretiosus Schick 1965 urn:lsid:ubio.org:namebank:9736403

Xysticus pretiosus Turnbull, Dondale & Redner 1965 urn:lsid:ubio.org:namebank:1990944

Xysticus pretiosus Dondale & Redner 1978 urn:lsid:ubio.org:namebank:1990945

Dondale, C. D. & J. H. Redner. 1978. The insects and arachnids of Canada, Part 5. The crab spiders of Canada and Alaska, Araneae: Philodromidae and Thomisidae. Research Branch, Agriculture Canada, Publ. 1663: 1-255.

Gertsch, W. J. 1939. A revision of the typical crab spiders (Misumeninae) of America north of Mexico. Bull. Amer. Mus. Nat. Hist. 76: 277-442.

Gertsch, W. J. 1934. Notes on American crab spiders (Thomisidae). Amer. Mus. Novit. 707: 1-25.

Schick, R. X. 1965. The crab spiders of California (Araneae, Thomisidae). Bull. Am. Mus. nat. Hist. 129: 1-180.

Turnbull, A. L., C. D. Dondale & J. H. Redner. 1965. The spider genus Xysticus C. L. Koch (Araneae: Thomisidae) in Canada. Can. Ent. 97: 1233-1280.

^‡Nomenclature and taxonomic references from the World Spider Catalog

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