Peucetia.viridis (Spanish Green Lynx Spider), Females 12 to 22 mm in length, males slenderer and up to 12 mm in length.
Lynx Spider is the common name for any member of the family Oxyopidae
Most species make little use of webs, instead spending their lives as hunting spiders on plants; using the stealth tactic to catching prey. Nature has gifted Peucetia viridis with near to perfection camouflage, as is able to conceal itself successfully by visually emulating the plant it is hunting in.
Green Lynx Spiders get their name as they move actively during the daytime hunting cat like and often lying in wait, slowly approaching; then suddenly pouncing on their prey. Hence the name “Lynx”. Peucetia Viridis tend to tolerate members of their own species. Eyesight is not as good as a jumping spiders’ sight, but they can still see their prey up to four inches away.
Widespread and common across the country and can be found on a variety of shrub-like plants throughout Spain. Known to be important predators of field crop-damaging insects. However, their usefulness in the control of insect pests is counteracted; as they also prey upon beneficial insects.
The oxyopids (lynx spiders) can be distinguished from other families by their distinctive hexagonal eye arrangements. They have eight eyes to form a six-sided polygram pattern at the peaked front of the cephalothorax which is also a lime green. Peucetia Viridans is the only spider that can squirt or spit venom, aside from spitting spiders (Scytodidae). Although Green Lynx Spiders aggressively attack its insect prey, they very seldom bite humans. Females can and will bite in defence, especially when guarding egg sacs. However, their bite is generally asymptomatic, only slightly painful, with a little inflammation. They are considered medically harmless, later when the egg sac hatches; she guards her young until the spider-lings can fend for themselves. Each egg sac contains 25 to 600 bright orange eggs, with an average of 200 eggs. The post-embryo remains in the egg sac, requiring 11 to 16 days to hatch. In some of the images
Below you can see even a large Digger-wasp is not safe from the Lynx Spider, look how well the spider is able to imitate the vegetation it hunts in.