Tmarus sp.
Tmarus sp.: https://www.marylandbiodiversity.org/species/6578
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Source: Wikipedia

This article is about the genus of crab spiders. For the greek mountain, see Tomaros.

Tmarus
T. africanus from South Africa
T. piger from Belgium
Scientific classification Edit this classification
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Arthropoda
Subphylum: Chelicerata
Class: Arachnida
Order: Araneae
Infraorder: Araneomorphae
Family: Thomisidae
Genus: Tmarus
Simon, 1875
Type species
Aranea pigra
Diversity
> 230 species

Tmarus is a genus of crab spiders in the family Thomisidae. The genus was established by Eugène Simon in 1875, with Tmarus piger (Walckenaer, 1802) as the type species.[1]

The genus includes more than 230 described species distributed across all continents except Antarctica.

Taxonomy

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The genus Tmarus has undergone several taxonomic revisions. The generic name Martus Mello-Leitão, 1943 was considered a nomen nudum and synonymized with Tmarus. Additionally, Peritraeus Simon, 1895 was found to be a junior synonym of Tmarus.[1]

Description

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See also: Glossary of spider terms

Tmarus spiders are small to moderate-sized crab spiders with body lengths ranging from 3.7 to 7.3 millimeters. Females are typically larger than males, with males being slightly smaller in size. The spiders display cryptic coloration ranging from cream to dull grey, often mottled with cream, brown or black patterns that resemble bark, providing excellent camouflage.[2][3]

The cephalothorax is as wide as long and rather convex, declining abruptly towards the posterior border. The clypeus is porrect (projecting forward), and the ocular area is well elevated. The lateral eyes are situated on well-defined tubercles, with both eye rows appearing almost straight or only slightly recurved. The lateral eyes are larger than the median eyes, while the anterior median eyes are the smallest.[2]

The opisthosoma often features a posterior tubercle dorsally, though some species may have an elongated body form. The abdomen is clothed with numerous short, stiff setae, which are sometimes situated on small tubercles. The legs are spinous, with legs I and II being almost the same length and longer than legs III and IV. In Tmarus species, the posterior median eyes (PME) are situated nearer to each other than to the posterior lateral eyes (PLE), which distinguishes them from the closely related genus Monaeses.[2]

Distribution and habitat

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Tmarus species are found worldwide, with the highest diversity in tropical and subtropical regions. They typically inhabit vegetation, where they hunt by ambush rather than building webs. Many species are found on bark or leaves, where their cryptic coloration provides camouflage.

Species

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As of September 2025, this genus includes 230 species and two subspecies.[1]

  • T. stellio from Ukraine
    T. stellio from Ukraine
  • T. cameliformis from South Africa
    T. cameliformis from South Africa
  • T. comellinii from South Africa
    T. comellinii from South Africa
  • T. angulatus from North America
    T. angulatus from North America

These species have articles on Wikipedia:

References

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  1. ^ a b c "Gen. Tmarus Simon, 1875". World Spider Catalog. doi:10.24436/2. Retrieved 2025-10-12.
  2. ^ a b c Dippenaar-Schoeman, A.S.; Haddad, C.R.; Foord, S.H.; Lotz, L.N. (2020). "The Thomisidae of South Africa. Part 3 Sm-T". South African National Survey of Arachnida Photo Identification Guide: 75. doi:10.5281/zenodo.7513278.
  3. ^ Dippenaar-Schoeman, A.S. (1985). "The crab-spiders of southern Africa (Araneae: Thomisidae). 5. The genus Tmarus Simon, 1875". Phytophylactica. 17: 115–128.
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