Leaflitter Crab Spider Ozyptila praticola
Some 12 species of Crab Spiders in the genus Ozyptila have been discovered in Europe. These are all small spiders, reaching a length of 3 to 4 mm only. Most common among them is the Leaflitter Crab Spider below. It prefers woodlands. There it hunts for small prey on the forest floor in shady places. The eggs are laid in a cocoon. This cocoon is often attached to the underside of leaves of twigs, high up in trees or shrubs. The female guards the eggs until they hatch. A common species all over Europe. Has been introduced in Northern America. Nowadays it is a local species over there, probably still spreading.
In the top picture the male. In the lower pictures the female. The male is smaller. He has a smaller body, especially the second part. His thorax is one-coloured. The dark upper parts of the front legs are striking. The female is bigger and her thorax is bicoloured.
