Runcinia grammica

Runcinia grammica is a species of crab spiders, first described by Carl Ludwig Koch in 1837.^[1]

European Runcinia Grass Crab Spider
Scientific classification
Kingdom:	Animalia
Phylum:	Arthropoda
Subphylum:	Chelicerata
Class:	Arachnida
Order:	Araneae
Infraorder:	Araneomorphae
Family:	Thomisidae
Genus:	Runcinia
Species:	R. grammica
Binomial name
Runcinia grammica (C. L. Koch, 1837)[1]
Synonyms[1]
Thomisus lateralis C. L. Koch, 1837 Xysticus grammicus C. L. Koch, 1837 Thomisus cerinus C. L. Koch, 1845 Thomisus amoenus Blackwall, 1870 Runcinia lateralis Simon, 1875 Misumena lateralis Pavesi, 1878 Runcinia cerina Roewer, 1955

Distribution

This species is found in Europe and Asia.^[1]

Runcina grammica has reportedly been sighted in various areas of Southeastern Spain^[2] and Southwestern Portugal.^[3][4] They are also known to inhabit Armenia, Georgia, Azerbaijan, Caucasus,^[5] Italy,^[6] India,^[7] South Africa, St. Helena,^[8][9][10] Turkey,^[10][9] France,^[11] and in the Carpathian Basin.^[12] They are among the most common species of spiders in Portugal.^[9] They are one of the many species preserved at the Mountain Zebra National Park, in South Africa.^[13]

Life style

R grammica with prey

The species generally lives in peat bogs, fens, and meadows,^[14][15] although it has also been known to inhabit urban areas^[16] They usually mature to adulthood in the summer.^[15] They have short, broad bodies,^[17] which are covered in hair and spines.^[7] They have clear muscular corrugation on their sides,^[7] and, on small raised bumps on their heads, eight small eyes.^[17] Males are usually 2.5–3.5mm in length, females 4-6mm.^[15] They are predators,^[16] and eat various species of insects.^[15]

Unlike many spiders, they do not spin a web of any kind. Instead, they prowl on the ground, as well as climbing plants and flowers, to find their prey.^[17] They can move forwards, backwards, and sideways.^[17]