Misumena vatia

Misumena vatia is a species of crab-spider of the family of the Thomisidae .

She is very widespread in Eurasia and North America. Frequently associated with the Solidago which is used to him as support to hunting for the mounting, and which with the advantage of attracting many insects, the color of the species can vary between the yellow and the white, even green pale, according to the flower on which it drives out. The young females which drive out on the daisies and the sunflowers are capable of Homochromie.

The females measure 10 mm and the males 5 mm (length of the body without the legs). The latter traverse the flowers in the search of a female. They miss them sometimes a leg, lost at the time of an attack of predator or of a combat between males.

The youthful ones reach a size of 5 mm at the end of the autumn and winter on the ground. They moult last once in May of the following year.

The changememt of color is made possible by the secretion of a liquid yellow pigment in the layers of cells external of the body. When the spider is on a white zone, this pigment is transported in the deep layers letting appear glands of white Guanine. If the spider remains lengthily on a white plant, the yellow pigment is often excreted. To pass by again with the yellow, it will thus be necessary that the spider takes time to secrete this pigment again. The change of color is related to the visual perception of the spider: deprived of the sight, the spider is inapt for the change of color.

Bond external

Images of '' Mr. vatia '' on BugGuide.net
a male
Images of '' Mr. vatia ''

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