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Home » Guide » Arthropods (Arthropoda) » Chelicerates (Chelicerata) » Arachnids (Arachnida) » Spiders (Araneae) » True Spiders (Araneomorphae) » Entelegynae » Running Crab Spiders (Philodromidae) » Thanatus

Genus Thanatus

Classification · Synonyms and other taxonomic changes · Explanation of Names · Numbers · Identification · Range · Internet References · Works Cited
Thanatus Crab Spider - Thanatus - female stab mark spider - Thanatus no wo*lf - Thanatus What kind of spider? - Thanatus Ground spider - Thanatus spider ID in colorado - Thanatus Pisauridae maybe Dolomedes - Thanatus formicinus Croatan Carteret spider on Polygala lutea 2022 2 - Thanatus
Classification
Kingdom Animalia (Animals)
Phylum Arthropoda (Arthropods)
Subphylum Chelicerata (Chelicerates)
Class Arachnida (Arachnids)
Order Araneae (Spiders)
Infraorder Araneomorphae (True Spiders)
No Taxon (Entelegynae)
Family Philodromidae (Running Crab Spiders)
Genus Thanatus
Synonyms and other taxonomic changes
First described in 1837 by Carl Ludwig Koch
Explanation of Names
From Greek thanatos (θανατος)- "death"
Numbers
There are 7 species in Bugguide's range.
Identification
"The genus most similar to Thanatus is Apollophanes 0. P.-Cambridge. In both these genera the posterior eyes are equally spaced, and the one is similar to
the other in general size, shape, and colour. Most of the 12 described species of Apollophanes, however, are flattened, long-legged, speckled spiders of Central or
South America, Mexico, and the south-western United States. On the other hand the carapace and abdomen of Thanatus are usually moderately high, the legs are
short and rarely speckled, and the species are predominantly found in cool temperate latitudes (1)".

See also Rhysodromus histrio: https://bugguide.net/node/view/314884
Range
T. altimontis - Northern Pacific Coast & Rocky Mountain states southward into desert areas of CA & AZ. - Schick, 1965.
T. arcticus
T. coloradensis - Maine and adjacent Canada west through the Northern States to the Rockies and the Pacific Coast States and to Alaska. (2)
T. formicinus - New England southwest to Alabama and west to the Pacific. All of Canada and Alaska. (2)
T. rubicellus
T. striatus - New England and adjacent Canada west across the Northern States to the Pacific Coast States and to Alaska.(2)
T. vulgaris - Ohio south to Georgia and west to Idaho, and also California. (2) Often found in cricket shipments.
Internet References
~ www.jogenlissner.dk - Images of Thanatus arcticus & Thanatus striatus.
~ PDF - Schick, R. X., 1965. The crab spiders of California (Araneae, Thomisidae). Range maps, keys, descriptions, & drawings of palps/epigynes.
~ crawford.tardigrade.net - Image of T. coloradensis by Rod Crawford.
~ Übersicht des Arachnidensystems, v.1, p.28 - Koch's original description of the species (in German)
Works Cited
1.Revision of the Nearctic Species of Thanatus C. L. Koch (Araneae: Thomisidae)
C. D. Dondale, A. L. Turnbull and J. H. Redner. 1964. The Canadian Entomologist.
2.How to Know the Spiders
B. J. Kaston. 1978. WCB/McGraw-Hill.
Contributed by john and jane balaban on 7 September, 2004 - 6:57pm
Additional contributions by Lynette Elliott, Jeff Hollenbeck, cheins, Chuck Entz, kschnei, chuuuuung
Last updated 19 March, 2022 - 9:27pm

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