Xysticus Auctificus

Xysticus Auctificus is one of several spiders in New Jersey that goes only by its scientific name. It approximately translates to "the growing scraped crab spider" if you tried to translate it into English. It is found all throughout North America and is a member of the crab spider family Thomisidae.

Males only reach adult lengths of 3 to 5 millimeters, while females reach a maximum length of 10 millimeters. They often have shorter, thicker legs than flower crab spiders. They primarily have an orangish-brown appearance, despite the fact that the abdomen is often cream-colored. They also have a faint V-shaped pattern on the cephalothorax and dark markings on the belly. Like other crab spiders, Xysticus auctificus is a hunter who actively pursues prey without the aid of webs. Instead, it moves slowly along the ground or plants and grabs prey that wanders too close before delivering a venomous bite.