Misumessus
Banks, 1904
Species Guides
4- Misumessus dicaprioi
- Misumessus lappi
- Misumessus oblongus(American Green Crab Spider)
- Misumessus tamiami
Misumessus is a of crab spiders in the Thomisidae, first described by Nathan Banks in 1904. The genus is distributed across North America and the Caribbean. Taxonomic standing has been debated throughout the 20th century, having been treated as a synonym of Misumenops, then as its subgenus, before being raised to genus status in 2008. The genus was long considered until 2017, when six additional were described.
Pronunciation
How to pronounce Misumessus: /ˌmɪsuˈmɛsəs/
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Identification
Misumessus are distinguished from similar , particularly Misumena, by having much spiner bodies—bearing more prominent spines on the legs and body. They have been confused with other thomisid genera due to reliance on early character descriptions by Eugène Simon. Specific diagnostic features for distinguishing the seven currently recognized species require examination of detailed morphological characters.
Images
Distribution
North America (Canada, USA, Bermuda) and Caribbean (Puerto Rico, Dominica, Grenadines, St. Vincent, Central America).
Behavior
As crab spiders (Thomisidae), members of this are sit-and-wait that do not build webs to capture prey.
Similar Taxa
- MisumenaMisumessus resembles Misumena in general body form but is distinguished by having much spinier bodies with more prominent spines.
- MisumenopsMisumessus was previously treated as a synonym or subgenus of Misumenops, and confusion between these has persisted due to historical taxonomic instability.
More Details
Taxonomic history
The has experienced substantial taxonomic revision. First described in 1904, it was subsequently synonymized with Misumenops, then treated as a subgenus of that genus. It was reinstated as a full genus in 2008. The 2017 revision by Edwards added six new , expanding it from a genus containing only M. oblongus to seven species.