Common-household-spiders
Guides
Philodromus
Running Crab Spiders
Philodromus is a large genus of running crab spiders in the family Philodromidae, comprising over 200 described species worldwide. Members are characterized by a distinctly flattened body and laterigrade legs—oriented horizontally rather than vertically—that enable sideways movement. Unlike typical crab spiders (Thomisinae), Philodromus species lack heavy bodies and prominent eye tubercles, instead possessing lithe, smooth bodies with slender, nearly equal-length legs. They are active predators of woody plants and are frequently encountered on vertical surfaces including building walls.