''Misumena'' is a genus of

crab spider The Thomisidae are a family of spiders, including about 170 genera and over 2,100 species. The common name crab spider is often linked to species in this family, but is also applied loosely to many other families of spiders. Many members of th ...

s sometimes referred to as flower crab spiders. They are similar in appearance to several other genera in the family

Thomisidae The Thomisidae are a family of spiders, including about 170 genera and over 2,100 species. The common name crab spider is often linked to species in this family, but is also applied loosely to many other families of spiders. Many members of thi ...

, such as '' Misumenoides'' and '' Mecaphesa''. ''

Misumena vatia ''Misumena vatia'' is a species of crab spider with a holarctic distribution. In North America, it is called the goldenrod crab spider or flower (crab) spider,Acorn, John and Sheldon, Ian. (2003). ''Bugs of Ontario'' Edmonton: Lone Pine Publish ...

'', the

goldenrod crab spider ''Misumena vatia'' is a species of crab spider with a holarctic distribution. In North America, it is called the goldenrod crab spider or flower (crab) spider,Acorn, John and Sheldon, Ian. (2003). ''Bugs of Ontario'' Edmonton: Lone Pine Publish ...

, is a North American species commonly seen hunting in

goldenrod Goldenrod is a common name for many species of flowering plants in the sunflower family, Asteraceae, commonly in reference to the genus ''Solidago''. Several genera, such as ''Euthamia'', were formerly included in a broader concept of the genus ...

(''Solidago'') sprays in autumn. It can change its color between white and yellow to match the flower it is sitting on. The color change takes a few days.

Species

Misumena with wasp on Hyacynthus in Oudergem, Belgium

, the

World Spider Catalog The World Spider Catalog (WSC) is an online searchable database concerned with spider taxonomy. It aims to list all accepted families, genera and species, as well as provide access to the related taxonomic literature. The WSC began as a series of ...

listed the following 40 species:

References

* (2008)
The world spider catalog
version 8.5. ''American Museum of Natural History''. Thomisidae Thomisidae genera Cosmopolitan spiders Taxa named by Pierre André Latreille {{Thomisidae-stub