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Show 1902.] SPIDERS OF THE GENUS LATRODECTUS. 255 France, Morbihan; Vendee; Vaucluse, Avignon; Herault (Simon); -Hungary, Croatia (Kulczynski);-Italy, Tuscany (Doria);- Sardinia, Corsica (Walck., Simon);-S. Russia, Sarepta (Motsch.). ASIA M I N O R (Simon);-Arabia (Dr. Anderson);-Syria (Simon); -Persian Gulf, Bushire (Moore). ATLANTIC ISLANDS : Canaries (Lucas);-Madeira, Porto Santo (Kidczynski, Grant). AFRICA : Egypt, Alexandria (Walck., Aud. in Sav., Simon, etc.). 7. LATRODECTUS MENAVODI Vinson, 1863. (Plate XXVII. fig. 3.) (Sub-species.) This form, resembling the Australian examples (hasseltii) in size, but having the vestiges of the dorso-lateral spots characteristic of 13-guttatus, consisting of small red spots, is peculiar to Madagascar and the neighbouring islands. I am quite unable to distinguish the female from either 13-guttatus or hasseltii, but so far I have had no opportunity of examining the male. I am inclined, however, to believe that it is simply a local variety of 13-guttatus, the European form of mactans. Hab. Madagascar (Vinson). 8. LATRODECTUS HASSELTII Thorell. (Plate XXVI. fig. 4; Plate XXVII. figs. 1, 6.) (Sub-species.) Synonyms. L. scelio Thorell.-L. cinctus Blackwall.-L. indicus Simon.-L. elegans Thor. This distinct-looking form is essentially L. mencivodi, which has lost the small dorso-lateral spots, leaving only a narrower (Australia, etc.), or broader and foliated (Loyalty Islands), red band clown the posterior dorsal central line. Hab. AUSTRALIA : Rockhampton ; Bo wen (Port Denison); Cape York (Thorell);-New Caledonia (Simon);-New Guinea (Turner); - N e w Holland (Kidczynski);-Loyalty Islands, Lifu (Creagh); - N . Britain (Brit. Mus.);-New S. Wales, Hill Grove; N. Queensland, Mulcliva (Broom) ; N W . Australia (Beckett) ;-Adelaide (Meldola).-AFRICA: Shire River; Zambesi (Blackwall); Lake Nyassa (Brit. Mus.) ; Bogos, Scioa or Shoa (Pavesi and Antinori) Graham's Town, Tea Fountain (a dark variety with only a minute red apical spot and a few black blotches), Jansenville, Cape Colony (Brit. Mus.). ASIA : Persian Gulf, Bushire (Moore); N. Guzerath ; Poona; Mascat; Kurrachee (Simon and Brit. Mus.).-BURMAH (Fea). 9. LATRODECTUS KATIPO Powell. (Plate XXVII. fig. 5.) (Sub-species.) There is a decided tendency towards a shortness of the first pair of legs amongst specimens from different parts of Africa, Australia, India, and New Zealand. This is most noticeable amongst examples from New Zealand, and, together with the tendency, the examples are as a rule smaller, and the anterior |
