Spiders of the genus Thanatus are fairly rare, and little is known about their biology. They are characterized by a pronounced dark diamond-shaped mark on their elongated oval abdomen. In appearance they resemble more the spiders from the Lycosidae family (wolf spiders) than other crab spiders, which have the first pair of walking legs markedly enlarged and adapted for grabbing.
Members of the genus Thanatus live on the ground or among vegetation just above the ground, where they search for food and mates. Some species are found in dry, sandy habitats, while others live in moist or swampy habitats.
