Minnesota Seasons - running crab spiders (Philodromus spp.)

Overview • Description • Distribution • Taxonomy

Overview

Photo by Babette Kis

Philodromus is a genus of spiders known as running crab spiders. It occurs in Europe, eastern Asia, North America, Central America, and South Africa. There are more than 250 described Philodromus species worldwide, at least 55 species in North America north of Mexico, and at least 15 species in Minnesota.

Philodromus are fast moving spiders that run over the ground and climb trees and walls.


	Description
	Philodromus is a medium-sized spider. The upper side of the front part of the body (carapace) is nearly round and slightly longer than wide. The eyes are small, equal in size, and arranged in two rows. The jaw-like mouth parts (chelicerae) are small and untoothed. The abdomen is flat, longer than wide, and widest beyond the middle. The first and second pairs of legs are longer than the third and fourth pairs. The second pair is longest but clearly less than two times longer than the first pair. On each leg the last leg segment (tarsus) has a two claws, a well-developed, dense, brush-like tuft of microscopic hairs below (scopula), and a dense, brush-like tuft of microscopic hairs at the end (claw tuft). The claws, scopulae, and claw tufts are not visible to the naked eye.


	Distribution
			Sources 24, 29, 30, 82.
	6/27/2022


	Taxonomy
	Class	Arachnida (arachnids)
	Order	Araneae (spiders)
	Suborder	Araneomorphae (typical spiders)
	Infraorder	Entelegynae (entelegyne spiders)
	Superfamily	Thomisoidea (crab and running crab spiders)
	Family	Philodromidae (running crab spiders)

	Subordinate Taxa
	banded running crab spider (Philodromus imbecillus) eastern running crab spider (Philodromus vulgaris) Eurasian running crab spider (Philodromus dispar) Keyserling’s running crab spider (Philodromus keyserlingi) lichen running crab spider (Philodromus margaritatus) metallic running crab spider (Philodromus marxi) peninsular running crab spider (Philodromus peninsulanus) red-and-yellow running crab spider (Philodromus exilis) red running crab spider (Philodromus rufus vibrans) resplendant running crab spider (Philodromus praelustris) running crab spider (Philodromus aureolus) running crab spider (Philodromus fuscolimbatus) slow running crab spider (Philodromus placidus) turf running spider (Philodromus cespitum) white-striped running crab spider (Philodromus rufus)

	Synonyms


	Common Names
	This genus has no common name. The common name of the family Philodromidae is running crab spiders, and it is used here for convenience.

Glossary

Carapace

The hard, upper (dorsal), shell-like covering (exoskeleton) of the body or at least the thorax of many arthropods and of turtles and tortoises. On crustaceans, it covers the cephalothorax. On spiders, the top of the cephalothorax made from a series of fused sclerites.

Chelicerae

The pair of stout mouthparts, corresponding to jaws, in arachnids and other arthropods in the subphylum Chelicerata.


	Visitor Photos

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	Alfredo Colon




	Babette Kis

	Philodromus spp., running crab spiders Philodromus sp. running crab spider June 18, 2022


	Close up Philodromus sp. running crab spider June 18, 2022


	Philodromus sp. running crab spider August 30 2021


	Philodromus sp. running crab spider June 7 2021 on Gray headed coneflower



	Greg Watson





	MinnesotaSeasons.com Photos

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	Slideshows


	Philodromus Lloyd Davies

	About Philodromus Running Crab Spider

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	Other Videos


	Philodromus sp MICROinACTION

	About Jul 7, 2013 The more than 250 described species are distributed throughout the Holarctic region, with few species reaching into more southern regions. Le più di 250 specie descritte sono distribuite in tutta la regione Olartica, con poche specie che raggiungono le regioni più a sud.



	Crab Spider, wandering around my house in UK, A Philodromus sp. Roadwarrior & ReviewGirl

	About Nov 13, 2017 Scary fast moving spider in house , wonder if his relatives are near too ? Not sure what type of spider this is, but hey it is still scary lol If anyone can tell me what type of spider it is, I will appreciate the feedback. I have been told the following Stewart said " It looks like a male Philodromus sp. spider .. sometimes called a "Running" or "Wandering" crab spider" Susi said " We call those black runners" Sebastian said “crab spider”

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Visitor Sightings

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Alfredo Colon 8/5/2022	Location: Albany, NY



Babette Kis 6/18/2022	Location: Barnes Prairie, Racine Co., WI



Greg Watson 6/10/2022	Location: Reno Quarry Trail, Reno North Recreational Area



Babette Kis 8/30/2021	Location: Barnes Prairie, Racine Co., WI



Babette Kis 6/7/2021	Location: Barnes Prairie, Racine Co., WI Philodromus sp. running crab spider June 7 2021 on Gray headed coneflower



Alfredo Colon 6/3/2021	Location: Woodbury, MN



MinnesotaSeasons.com Sightings