Beyond redbacks, huntsman and other big scary ones, I can't identify spiders. Can anyone please tell me what this one is, that I shot today? I'd say it was only about 1cm big, including the legs. (I'm in Sydney, Australia, if that helps)
That's a Crab Spider, family Thomisidae. I don't have time right now, or good resources for Australian fauna, so you could try searching based on the family and geographic area. Good luck!
If it's a juvenile you can't easily tell the sex, an adult male would have enlarged pedipalps. The leg like appendages on either side of the "fangs". Here is a pic of a male crab spider I posted earlier in the month. Check the large image and look carefully at the area below and to the left of the eyes, the tip of the pedipalp is enlarged and darker then the base. http://365project.org/robv/365/2011-02-09
Oh, how interesting. Here is a female crab spider (except it seems to have a different scientific name than @carebear mentioned) that I saw a few months ago in the US.
just thought I'd share. :) And, I love @roth 's suggestion of Skitter for a name.
@laceyjogautreau That isn't a true crab spider, that's the problem with common names. It is probably Gasteracantha cancriformis, an orb weaver in the family Araneidae. The common name crab spider comes from the species name which means crab form in Latin. True crab spiders are in the family Thomisidae, their common name comes from the laterograde locomotion they use. They walk sideways like crabs, they also resemble crabs superficially. :) There will be a quiz next week......
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Possibly a small lynx spider???? Really not sure though. I've got a similar photo somewhere actually.
http://365project.org/robv/365
It seems that possibly it *is* a boy spider. But to be on the safe side maybe I should give it a unisex name ;o)
just thought I'd share. :) And, I love @roth 's suggestion of Skitter for a name.
@laceyjogautreau wow, that's one fascinating spider! Looks like it has a smiley face on it.
Skitter seems appropriate ;o)