Ask the Chatbot Games & Quizzes History & Society Science & Tech Biographies Animals & Nature Geography & Travel Arts & Culture ProCon Money Videos
lynx spider
Introduction References & Edit History Quick Facts & Related Topics
Images
Protective mother Ambush predator lynx spider
Quizzes
Sea otter (Enhydra lutris), also called great sea otter, rare, completely marine otter of the northern Pacific, usually found in kelp beds. Floats on back. Looks like sea otter laughing. saltwater otters
Animal Group Names
Lion (panthera leo)
Deadliest Animals Quiz
Mute swan with cygnet. (birds)
Match the Baby Animal to Its Mama Quiz
The bearded vulture (Gypaetus barbatus) is seen in Switzerland on December 2024
Animal Factoids
Quick Facts
Related Topics:
green lynx
See all related content
Britannica AI Icon
Adding us as a Preferred Source tells Google you trust our content, so our articles show up more often in your Google Search, Discover feed, and AI Overviews.
verifiedCite
While every effort has been made to follow citation style rules, there may be some discrepancies. Please refer to the appropriate style manual or other sources if you have any questions.
Select Citation Style
Feedback
Corrections? Updates? Omissions? Let us know if you have suggestions to improve this article (requires login).
Thank you for your feedback

Our editors will review what you’ve submitted and determine whether to revise the article.

External Websites
Protective mother
Protective mother A female lynx spider (Hamadruas species) guarding her newly hatched offspring.

lynx spider

arachnid
Also known as: Oxyopidae
Written and fact-checked by
Britannica Editors
Encyclopaedia Britannica's editors oversee subject areas in which they have extensive knowledge, whether from years of experience gained by working on that content or via study for an advanced degree....
Britannica Editors
History
Taxonomy

See also list of spiders.

lynx spider, (family Oxyopidae), any of nearly 450 species of active spiders that do not build a nest or web but capture their prey by pouncing upon them. Lynx spiders are distributed worldwide and in North America are most common in southern regions. The eight eyes are arranged in a hexagon, and the abdomen usually tapers to a point. Lynx spiders are usually found on vegetation, seeking insect prey.

Ambush predator
Ambush predatorGreen lynx spider (Peucetia viridans) on a leaf. 

The green lynx (Peucetia viridans) hunts prey on vegetation and flowers and can adjust its body color to match the background. Females in this species also construct a silk retreat in which they suspend the egg sac. Females then guard the eggs and young spiders in this retreat.

Some authorities believe that lynx spiders, although active hunters, are closely related to the orb-weaving spiders (family Araneidae) on the basis of body characteristics.

Lion (panthera leo)
Britannica Quiz
Deadliest Animals Quiz
The Editors of Encyclopaedia Britannica This article was most recently revised and updated by Melissa Petruzzello.