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Show 1896.] SPIDERS FROM THE LOWER AMAZONS. 765 B. Carapace testaceous brown, margined with a broad band of dull orange silky pubescence. 1. Size larger, 18 m m . long (2).-Central anterior eyes slightly smaller than laterals. Anterior row slightly procurved ; (posterior margin of laterals aligned with centre of medians). Laterals distinctly separate, subequal, anteriors a little larger. Abdomen with central, longitudinal, silver-white rufous lanceolate band, broad in front, narrowed behind, on apical three-quarters, with four, or sometimes five, short oblique branching lines I. siemensi, n. sp. 2. Size smaller, 10 m m . ($).-Central anterior eyes a little larger than laterals. Laterals scarcely separate; anteriors larger than posteriors. Abdomen with central longitudinal band of silver-white-rufous marks ("vitta"), not reaching anterior margin, broad in front, narrowed behind, with four short branches on either side (" quadripennata ") ... I. pusilla (E. Sim.). BEMARKS.-The characters of /. digitata, I. caudata, and /. siemensi are taken from the type specimens. Those of I. guyanensis from females from St. Vincent, identified by M . Simon ; e coll. Brit. Mus. Nat. Hist. Those of I. zebrlno and /. pusilla are taken from M . Simon's descriptions of the two species. As to the first four there can be no doubt about their distinctness as species ; I am not so convinced, however, as to the distinction between /. zebrlna and I. guyanensis. M. Simon thinks that probably I. zebrina and /. digitata are identical. The chief distinction drawn by M . Simon between the first two is based on the difference between the anterior eyes: " llneam subrectam formaniibus " in zebrlna ; in guyanensis " llneam levlter procurvam." I must confess that I am unable myself to appreciate the distinction between " a Une almost straight" and " a line sllghtlg curved." The other character, however, given in I. zebrlna, " oculls lateralibus subcequls et utrlnque juxta contlguls," as contrasted with " oculls lateralibus allstlncte separatis et antico postlco majore" I. guyanensis, may be a good one, provided it is drawn from a long series of adult examples. The oblique bars in I. guganensls are six in number, the first 3 not united on the median line; of I.zebrlna M. Simon says, " abdomen atrum In parte secunda lineis testacels obliquis et abbreviatls blserlatls, utrlnque tribus, ornatum." If 1. zebrina (11 m m . long) and /. digitata (18 m m . long) are identical, the characters of the former have possibly been taken from an immature female. I. pusilla, too, must be closely allied to /. siemensi, though the great difference in the size furnishes a strong presumption that they are distinct. EXPLANATION OF THE PLATES. PLATE XXXIII. Pig. 1. Melodeus sanguineus, n. sp., 2 (P- 758). Dorsal aspect. 2. „ niger, n. sp., 2 (P- 759). Dorsal aspect. |
