Thomisus spectabilis
1 Spectacular Crab Spider at Acton, ACT
Identify this sighting
| Thomisus spectabilis | MichaelMulvaney | 26 Dec 2019 | |
| Thomisus spectabilis | MichaelMulvaney | 4 Dec 2019 | |
| Thomisidae (family) | Harrisi | 4 Dec 2019 |
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7 comments
5 Dec 2019
I don't think it's Thomisus spectabilis because (through the use of external sources) their abdomen isn't rounded like this one, instead having two lumps on either side which seem quite prominent. Here are some photos: http://www.arachne.org.au/01_cms/details.asp?ID=1031
On the other hand, Zygometis xanthogaster seems to fit in with this individual: a little bit of orange hairs on the face, fully rounded abdomen with a distinct dark spot in the upper middle and light smaller ones neatly arranged towards the middle and back. (https://bie.ala.org.au/species/urn:lsid:biodiversity.org.au:afd.taxon:43b8c120-398f-413e-ab0f-81f58344c598#gallery)
While on this topic, I feel some of the sightings under Thomisus spectabilis have been incorrectly identified: at a quick glance, they look like Zygometis zanthogaster.
On the other hand, Zygometis xanthogaster seems to fit in with this individual: a little bit of orange hairs on the face, fully rounded abdomen with a distinct dark spot in the upper middle and light smaller ones neatly arranged towards the middle and back. (https://bie.ala.org.au/species/urn:lsid:biodiversity.org.au:afd.taxon:43b8c120-398f-413e-ab0f-81f58344c598#gallery)
While on this topic, I feel some of the sightings under Thomisus spectabilis have been incorrectly identified: at a quick glance, they look like Zygometis zanthogaster.
6 Dec 2019
Yumi - happy for you to take the lead but this reference states that Zygometris xanthogaster has brown stripes on its head.
http://www.arachne.org.au/01_cms/details.asp?ID=1942
Of the sightings submitted only that of Cath has the brown stripes
http://www.arachne.org.au/01_cms/details.asp?ID=1942
Of the sightings submitted only that of Cath has the brown stripes
6 Dec 2019
Sorry, I based my decision on the images from ALA: some of them look exactly like this one! Does that mean these are still Thomiscus spectabilis though? All the images from external sources that I can find have the lifted segments on both sides of the abdomen and isn't fully rounded while this and the other few sightings are.
6 Dec 2019
Ok. And also, is the brown striping on the head a 'must'? Some individuals on ALA for example seem to have lighter stripes so maybe not having any stripes is a possibility? Like it might be that immatures haven't developed the stripes??
6 Dec 2019
ALA is a bit of buyer beware in its sightings and use of photos so perhaps not a good source to base an ID on
Location information
- Coordinates 149.109484-35.276355
- Maps ANBG
- Places Acton, ACT
Sighting information
- At least 1 Abundance
- 3 Dec 2019 03:06 PM Recorded on
- Harrisi Recorded by
- 5mm to 12mm Animal size
Collections
- Harrisi Canberra & Southern Tablelands NatureMapr Thomisus spectabilis Other hunting spiders Spiders
Species information
- Thomisus spectabilis Scientific name
- Spectacular Crab Spider Common name
- Not Sensitive
- Local native
- Non-invasive or negligible
- Up to 929.19m Recorded at altitude
- External link More information
Record quality
Quality score
3 / 7
- Images or audio
- Verified by an expert moderator
- Additional attributes
- More than one media file
- Nearby sighting(s) of same species
- GPS evidence of location
- Description