Lynx Spiders

Description

These spiders are often quite distinctive, usually having many large leg spines. Like their namesake, they are ambush hunters known to pounce on their prey. Lynx spiders are known as “other active hunters,” meaning they do not run along the ground, but traverse three-dimensional space such as plants and structures to catch their prey.

Species

Oxyopes scalaris

"Western Lynx Spider"

Description

The Western Lynx spider is rather compact and mostly tan & brown, similar to many other species of Lynx Spiders. This species has highly variable coloration, but it does not share its range with other members of Oxyopidae that have similar patterning. In particular, this species tends to have darker sides and a light or white central band down most of its prosoma and opisthosoma, and there are never distinct vertical stripes (distinguishing this species from the Striped Lynx Spider). Typical of Lynx Spiders, Oxyopes scalaris is fairly small and has large, distinct leg hairs/spines.

Images of Western Lynx Spider

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This female Western Lynx Spider, guarding her egg sac, was one of the first I found in my patio garden which helped me develop a keen interest in spiders. She laid her eggs on the underside of a succulent leaf and remained until they hatched - an event I unfortunately did not witness.

Peucetia viridans

"Green Lynx Spider"

Description

Hard to mistake, this spider is vivid green, blending in effectively with certain leaves (and standing out sorely from duller plants). Though there is one jumping spider with similar shape and coloration, P. viridans has long leg spines visible to the naked eye and sometimes white, yellow, pink, or red chevrons marking its opisthosoma. As with all Oxyopidae, the eight eyes are small and arranged somewhat hexagonally, but P. viridans bears them in a tight grouping around a dark spot at the top of its prosoma.

Images of Green Lynx Spider

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Peucetia viridans blending in well with sweet potato leaves. Despite missing two legs, it has captured a house fly as prey.
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The same specimen, still missing two legs, having captured a fruit fly the next day.
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A vivid P. viridans with barely visible chevron markings, resting in excellent camouflage on a basil leaf.
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An extraordinarily large and colorful specimen (likely female based on size), holding a first tarsus to its chelicerae.
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Another shot of the same specimen, with brightly colored and distinct chevrons visible.