Red backed Lynx Spider(Female)

Description:

This is a recently identified Lynx spider in India, published in March 2012 edition of Indian Journal of Arachnology. Most Oxyopes are small to medium in size; they tend to be drab and especially tend to be ambush hunters in ways resembling the crab spiders (Thomisidae). Some occupy flowers and wait for pollinating insects, whereas others lie in wait on plant stalks or bark. Oxyopidae in general rely on keen eyesight in stalking, chasing, or ambushing prey, and also in avoiding enemies. Six of their eight eyes are arranged in a hexagon-like pattern, a characteristic that identifies them as members of the family Oxyopidae. The other two eyes are smaller and generally situated in front and below the other six. The Oxyopidae also have spiny legs, and in many species those legs, augmented by the spines, seem to be used as a sort of catching-basket in trapping flying insects.

Habitat:

They are hunting spiders that spend their lives on plants, flowers and shrubs.

Notes:

Cephalothorax light yellowish green, legs dark yellowish green; abdomen light yellowish green. Total length 10.00 mm. Carapace 3.50 mm long, 3.00 mm wide; abdomen 6.00 mm long, 2.80 mm wide. Cephalothorax :–Longer than wide, narrowing in front, provided with light reddish patches laterally and mid-dorsally. Cephalic region high, clothed with pubescence. Posterior half with long, conspicuous fovea. Eyes eight in compact group. Anterior row of eyes strongly recurved, anterior medians smaller than the anterior laterals and closer to lateral than to each other. Posterior row of eyes strongly procurved, equal in size and equidistant from each other. All the eyes are encircled by black patches. Clypeus long, provided with few spine like hairs and with black band, starting from anterior median eyes up to the fangs of chelicerae. Sternum heart shaped, pointed behind, clothed with spine like hairs. Labium and maxillae dark brown in color, longer than wide, anterior end of maxillae provided with conspicuous scopulae. Chelicerae moderately strong, vertical, reddish-green, inner and outer margin provided with one bigger and two dissimilar teeth respectively. Legs long and strong, clothed with hairs and long conspicuous spines. Femurs of all legs provided ventrally with two black bands. Tibia IV’ posteriorly provided with black band. Abdomen :- Longer than wide, narrowing behind , laterally provided with one continuous black band and other in dis-continuous black band, mid-dorsally longitudinal broad dark reddish band. Ventral side lighter than dorsal, mid-ventrally provided with broad black band starting from epigastric furrow up to the base of spinnerets.