western lynx spider
(Oxyopes scalaris)
Conservation • Description • Habitat • Biology • Distribution • Taxonomy
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Description |
Western lynx spider is a common, widespread, medium-sized spider. It occurs throughout the United States and Mexico, and in southern Canada. It is found from spring to late summer; on bushes, shrubs, and other low growing vegetation; in forests and grasslands. In the west it is also found in deserts. It is considered beneficial because it preys on many insects that are pests to agriculture and to homeowners. Adults have a ⅝″ to ⅞″ (15 to 22 mm) legspan. They are variable in coloration, which has led to them being described many times under different scientific names. Females are ¼″ to ⅜″ (5.9 to 9.6 mm) in length. The front part of the body (cephalothorax) is high, longer than wide, convex when viewed from the side, and sharply sloped at the rear and on the sides. The color shade and intensity vary geographically, and in the west it varies even within local populations, but the general pattern remains similar. The upper side (carapace) is dark brown to almost black on the sides with a broad band of white hairs in the middle extending from the eye region to the rear margin. The underside is pale yellow or pale orange with some black. There are eight eyes grouped in a pattern unusual for spiders but common for lynx spiders. There are six larger eyes arranged in a hexagon and two much smaller eyes in front, making this appear to be a six-eyed spider. The eye region is dark brown to black. The face is almost vertical. There are no distinct black lines on the face. The abdomen is long, widest in front and tapering to the rear. The upper side is dark brown on the sides with a broad off-white or yellowish band in the middle. There are two white oblique dashes on each side. The cardiac region is sometimes covered with a light brown, lance-shaped mark (cardiac mark) with a dark brown border. The underside of the abdomen is white on the sides with a broad, dark brown stripe in the middle. The legs are long with many long spines projecting at angles. When hunting, they form a bristly cage that may help the spider capture its prey. The first pair of legs is longer than the fourth pair. All of the legs are brownish-yellow (pale) with dark brown bands. The third segment (femur) on all legs is pale on the basal half, dark brown on the outer (distal) half. On the first and second pairs of legs the underside of the femur does not have a “distinct black line” but may have a “thick brown line.” The last segment (tarsus) on each leg has 3 claws at the end, but these are not visible without magnification. Males are smaller 3⁄16″ to ¼″ (4.7 to 6.1 mm) in length. Their legs are longer relative to their body size. |
Size |
Female Body Length: ¼″ to ⅜″ (5.9 to 9.6 mm) Male Body Length: 3⁄16″ to ¼″ (4.7 to 6.1 mm) Legspan: ⅝″ to ⅞″ (15 to 22 mm) |
Web |
No web |
Similar Species |
Habitat |
Forests, grasslands, and deserts |
Biology |
Season |
Spring to late summer |
Behavior |
Western lynx spider is active during the day. It hunts by clinging to vegetation with its front legs, waiting in ambush, and jumping up to several times its body length to pounce on passing prey. |
Life Cycle |
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Food |
Small insects |
Distribution |
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Sources Brady, A. R. (1964). The lynx spiders of North America, north of Mexico (Araneae: Oxyopidae). Bulletin of the Museum of Comparative Zoology 131: 429-518. |
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| 5/3/2024 | ||
Occurrence |
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Taxonomy |
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Class |
Arachnida (arachnids) |
Order |
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Suborder |
Araneomorphae (typical spiders) |
Infraorder |
Entelegynae |
Zoosection |
RTA clade |
Zoosubsection |
Oval calamistrum clade |
Superfamily |
Lycosoidea (wolf spiders and allies) |
Family |
Oxyopidae (lynx spiders) |
Subfamily |
Oxyopinae |
Genus |
Oxyopes (grass lynx spiders) |
Subordinate Taxa |
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Synonyms |
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Oxyopes cinerea Oxyopes classicus Oxyopes compacta Oxyopes compactus Oxyopes laminatus Oxyopes pictipes Oxyopes rufipes Oxyopes tanneri |
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Common Names |
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striped lynx spider western lynx spider |
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Glossary
Carapace
The hard, upper (dorsal), shell-like covering (exoskeleton) of the body or at least the thorax of many arthropods and of turtles and tortoises. On crustaceans, it covers the cephalothorax. On spiders, the top of the cephalothorax made from a series of fused sclerites.
Cardiac mark
An oval dark mark on the front half of the abdomen of some spiders, beneath which lies the heart.
Cephalothorax
The front part of the body of various arthropods, composed of the head region and the thoracic area fused together. Eyes, legs, and antennae are attached to this part.
Femur
On insects and arachnids, the third, largest, most robust segment of the leg, coming immediately before the tibia. On humans, the thigh bone.
Tarsus
On insects, the last two to five subdivisions of the leg, attached to the tibia; the foot. On spiders, the last segment of the leg. Plural: tarsi.
Visitor Photos |
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Crystal N |
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I have 7 western lynx spider slings I brought in from the cold for the winter. I found them all at different times in the bushes outside my house. |
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I have 6 western lynx spiders I brought in for the winter and have released them all today. |
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Babette Kis |
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Western lynx spider, Oxyopes scalaris |
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MinnesotaSeasons.com Photos |
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Slideshows |
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Visitor Videos |
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Crystal N |
western lynx spider molting |
About
western lynx spider molting |
Other Videos |
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STRIPED LYNX SPIDER |
About
Feb 17, 2022 Oxyopes salticus is a species of lynx spider, commonly known as the striped lynx spider, first described by Hentz in 1845. Its habitat tends to be grasses and leafy vegetation; grassy, weedy fields, and row crops. Kingdom:Animalia Phylum:Arthropoda Subphylum:Chelicerata Class:Arachnida Order:Araneae Infraorder:Araneomorphae Family:Oxyopidae Genus:OxyopesSpecies: O. salticus The striped lynx spider, Oxyopes salticus (Hentz), is a small, spiny-legged spider and generalist predator that feeds on a wide variety of insect prey, including several economically important insect pests. This lynx spider species is one of the most abundant beneficial spider species in gardens, yards, and agricultural fields throughout North America. Lynx spiders get their name from the catlike hunting behavior of ambushing or slowly stalking and pouncing on prey (Brady 1975). As a cursorial spider that does not make webs to capture prey, the striped lynx spider instead uses silk to protect its eggs and make silk supports for resting on vegetation. For the striped lynx spider, Oxyopes salticus, the name salticus stems from the Latin word saltus, meaning jumping. This is a fitting name because of its interesting behavior of waving its front pair of legs and jumping rapidly and frequently through vegetation (Brady 1964). Oxyopes salticus Hentz, 1845 Oxyopes astutus Hentz, 1845 |
Educational Tidbit day 173: Western Lynx Spider |
About
Oct 25, 2021 |
Lynx Spider Encounter |
About
Aug 13, 2017 A mating dance between two lynx spiders (Oxyopes scalaris) in my back yard. The male is close to another spider on a lemon balm leaf and he creeps up from under the leaf, waggling his pedipalps and waving his front legs to get her attention. He gets closer and closer, and then . . . |
Western Lynx Spider 1 HQ HD |
About
Jul 20, 2022 Profile of a pair of Western Lynx Spiders. |
Visitor Sightings |
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Crystal N |
Location: Philadelphia, PA I have 6 western lynx spiders I brought in for the winter and have released them all today. |
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| Crystal N 12/19/2023 |
Location: Langhorne, PA I have 7 western lynx spider slings I brought in from the cold for the winter. I found them all at different times in the bushes outside my house. |
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| Babette Kis 5/30/2021 |
Location: Barnes Prairie hedgerow, Racine County, WI
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MinnesotaSeasons.com Sightings |
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Created: 3/17/2023 Last Updated: © MinnesotaSeasons.com. All rights reserved. |