Mecaphesa californica

(Banks, 1896)

Mecaphesa californica is a of crab spider in the Thomisidae, first described by Nathan Banks in 1896. The species is known from a broad geographic range spanning the southwestern United States, Mexico, and the Caribbean island of Hispaniola. As a member of the Mecaphesa, it belongs to a group of crab spiders characterized by their laterigrade leg posture and ambush predatory . The specific epithet "californica" reflects its original description from California, though its distribution extends well beyond that state.

Crab Spider - Flickr - treegrow by Katja Schulz from Washington, D. C., USA. Used under a CC BY 2.0 license.

Pronunciation

How to pronounce Mecaphesa californica: /mɛkəˈfiːsə kælɪˈfɔːrnɪkə/

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Distribution

United States (California and likely other southwestern states), Mexico, and Hispaniola (Caribbean). The disjunct distribution between North America and the Caribbean island of Hispaniola is notable and suggests either historical events or potential cryptic diversity warranting further investigation.

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Taxonomic History

Originally described by Nathan Banks in 1896, this has remained within the Mecaphesa through subsequent taxonomic revisions. The genus Mecaphesa was established by Simon in 1900 and has undergone various redefinitions, with some authors previously placing these species in Misumena or Misumenops.

Biogeographic Notes

The distribution spanning both western North America and Hispaniola represents an unusual pattern for a spider . Such disjunct ranges may indicate either long-distance capabilities (potentially through ballooning) or the possibility that on Hispaniola represent a distinct, undescribed species. No molecular studies have been published to test these hypotheses.