Crab spider  (Misumena vatia)

Authentication

Information authenticated by Dr Peter Merrett of the British Arachnological Society:
http://www.britishspiders.org.uk/index.html

Glossary

  • Abdomen: in arthropods (crustaceans, insects and arachnids) the abdomen is the hind region of the body, which is usually segmented to a degree (but not visibly in most spiders). In crustacea (e.g. crabs) some of the limbs attach to the abdomen; in insects the limbs are attached to the thorax (the part of the body nearest to the head) and not the abdomen. In vertebrates the abdomen is the part of the body that contains the internal organs (except the heart and lungs).
  • Genus: a category used in taxonomy, which is below ‘family’ and above ‘species’. A genus tends to contain species that have characteristics in common. The genus forms the first part of a ‘binomial’ Latin species name; the second part is the specific name.

References

  1. National Biodiversity Network Species Dictionary (January2004) http://www.nhm.ac.uk/nbn
  2. Roberts, M. J (1993) The spiders of Great Britain and Ireland, part 1- text. Harley Books, Colchester.
  3. Animal diversity Web (January 2004) http://animaldiversity.ummz.umich.edu/site/accounts/information/Misumena_vatia.html
  4. Essex Field Club (January 2004) http://www.essexfieldclub.org.uk/form_misumena.htm
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