Crab spider

Fact Box Species: Tharrhalea pulleinei (Identification as shown by Mark Newton on his WILD South Australia website) Family: Thomisidae Body length: female: 6 mm male: 4 mm Habitat: Often on leaves or flowers or in a retreat formed by curling a green leaf into a loop and partly sealing it with silk Toxicity: Unknown but this spider is almost certainly too small to cause significant human illness

In its habitat Another view Underneath male

Until recently this spider was known as a Diaea species but in 2014 P. Szymkowiak in Annales of Zoologici Warszawa, Volume 64, pages 333-477, stated that all Australian Diaea species should now be listed as Lehtinelagia species. However, just two years later, and very controversially, Lehtinen stated the generic name should be further changed to Tharrhalea.

This species is easily recognized by its pattern of green and reddish colours and black abdominal dots. These allow it to 'hide in plain sight' on green leaves or in flowers and to catch insects by stealth.

Spider(s) with a very similar appearance: Some other Tharrhalea species.