Diaea dorsata is one of the smaller crab spider

Crab spider

Crab spider is a common name applied loosely to many species of spiders, but most nearly consistently to members of the family Thomisidae...

s. Females can grow up to 6 mm, males up to 4 mm. Prosoma and legs are green, the opisthosoma

Opisthosoma

The opisthosoma is the posterior part of the body in some arthropods, behind the prosoma . It is a distinctive feature of the subphylum Chelicerata...

 is yellowish with a brown mark. Like Misumena vatia

Misumena vatia

Misumena vatia is a species of crab spider with holarctic distribution. In North America, where it is the largest and best-known flower spider, it is called the goldenrod crab spider or flower spider, because it is commonly found hunting in goldenrod sprays in the autumn.Young males in the early...

, this spider can change its color to fit its surrounding; however, this takes several days.

D. dorsata prefers forest edges. It can be found on oak leaves. The subadults overwinter under the bark of dead trees. Adults appear in May. The males have an extended non-damaging combat ritual: They stand opposed, stretch their front legs and dance around each other. This can go on for hours. This is highly unusual for crab spiders, but for example often found in jumping spiders.

An agranular green pigment

Pigment

A pigment is a material that changes the color of reflected or transmitted light as the result of wavelength-selective absorption. This physical process differs from fluorescence, phosphorescence, and other forms of luminescence, in which a material emits light.Many materials selectively absorb...

 is incorporated into the mesocuticle of this species and thus lost between moults

Ecdysis

Ecdysis is the moulting of the cuticula in many invertebrates. This process of moulting is the defining feature of the clade Ecdysozoa, comprising the arthropods, nematodes, velvet worms, horsehair worms, rotifers, tardigrades and Cephalorhyncha...

.