Crab Spiders (Araneae: Philodromidae, Thomisidae) of Ramsey County, Minnesota

摘要

Crab spiders, families Philodromidae and Thomisidae, are among the dominantinvertebrate predators found in many terrestrial communities. They inhabit vegetation and ground-litter strata where they forage for prey by active pursuit (Philodromidae) and by ambust (Thomisidae). Crab spiders are of particular interest because some species have specific plant or habitat preferences. Such preferences may be useful indicators of habitat degradation or loss of habitat due to urban and suburban sprawl. Recent studies have shown that spiders are excellent candidates for bioassessment of changes in habitat quality.