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Show 1902.] SPIDERS OF THE GENUS LATRODECTUS. 257 LATRODECTUS CURAQAVIENSIS (Muller), 1776. Linn. Vollst. Nat.-Syst. Supp., Reg. Band, p. 342. 1776 (sec. Keyserling). Hab. Curacoa.-E. Simon, Boll. Mus. Zool. Anat. Comp. Univ. Torino, vol. xii. no. 270, Feb. 4, 1897. Hab. As-cuncion, San Pedro and Rio Apa, Paraguay.-This species, of which M. Simon has kindly sent me examples, is, so far as coloration goes, similar to varieties of geographicus Hasselt. The present name has priority. LATRODECTUS CURASSAVICUM (Hering). Hab. Ozam. (I am at present unable to indicate this reference.) LATRODECTUS DISTINCTUS Blackwall, 1859. Ann. Mag. Nat. Hist. (3) iv. p. 260. Hab. Madeira.-Belongs, according to Thorell, to the genus Lithyphantes, possibly = L. nobilis Thor. LATRODECTUS DOTATUS C. Koch, 1841. Die Arachniden, viii. p. 115, fig. 683. Hab. North America.- Identical, according to Koch, with Tetragnatha zorilla Walck. Both these forms are obviously males of L. mactans Fabr. LATRODECTUS ELEGANS Thor., 1898. Ann. Mus. Genova, (2) xix. p. 293, $. Hab. Burmah.- Probably a variety of L. hasseltii; resembling L. cinctus Blackw., a form I have seen from Shoa. LATRODECTUS EREBUS Walck., 1837. Insectes Apteres, i. p. 646. Hab. Egypt, Spain.-Dark variety of L. tredecim-guttatus Rossi. LATRODECTUS FORMIDABILIS Walck., 1837. Insectes Apteres, i. p. 647, $ . Hab. Georgia.-Undoubtedly L. mactans Fabr. LATRODECTUS GEOGRAPHICUS Van Hasselt, 1888. Tijd. voor Ent. xxxi. pt. 3, pp. 165-200, pis. v. & vi. (1888). Hab. Surinam.-This is, so far as size and pattern of colouring, a distinct species. I have taken the adult male and female on the sandy campo, at the roots of grass and under overhanging ledges, near Santarem on the Lower Amazons. It is, however, difficult to justify the apparent specific distinction by any tangible structural difference. The form may finally be relegated to the position of a local race, and perhaps be regarded as a sub-species. LATRODECTUS GEOMETRICUS C. L. Koch, 1841. Die Arachniden, viii. pp. 115-117, fig. 684. This is perhaps one of the most distinct and easily recognizable of the species, the larger size of the anterior central eyes being constant. The colour varies fiom pinky grey to nearly black. |