OCR Text |
Show 126 REV. O. P. CAMBRIDGE ON SOME N E W [Jan. 21, less prominent; and the epidermis of the abdomen is of a less coriaceous nature. The cephalothorax, falces, maxillee, and labium are of a deep yellow-brown colour, the sternum being rather darker. The eyes are in the usual relative position, though the laterals are rather further removed on either side from the four central eyes. The legs are moderately long, not very strong, furnished with hairs, and some fine longish erect slender spine-like bristles of different lengths along their uppersides. The palpi are short, slender, and, with the legs, of a somewhat dull orange-yellow colour. The abdomen, when looked at from above, is of a short oval form, but, from its great convexity, nearly globular in appearance when viewed laterally; it is of a dull whitish-yellow colour, marked in several places with irregular groups of cretaceous white spots. A broad deep-brown band runs longitudinally along the centre of the upperside; and at either of its fore corners is a round, roughened, tuberculous, dark yellow-brown boss prolonged into a strongish curved spine. At the middle of the hinder extremity of the abdomen is another boss of a similar nature, but rounder and more prominent; from the centre of the extremity of this boss springs a vertical tapering pointed straight spine, but not nearly so long nor so strong as the two at the fore extremity : the surface of the abdomen, as well as the small prominences of the bosses, are furnished with hairs ; the lower part of the sides and the hinder portion of the underside have some irregular blackish markings. The spinners are small, and placed at the extremity of a somewhat tapering prominence of the abdomen, the end of the prominence being encircled by a sort of collar of a coriaceous texture and yellow-brown colour. A single adult female was received from Ceylon, from Mr. Thwaites, in 1871. Gen. nov. S T E G O S O M A. Cephalothorax and ocular portion of caput as in Phoroncidia. Eyes as in Phoroncidia. Maxillae more curved towards the labium. Labium somewhat semicircular, its apex slightly pointed. Sternum heart-shaped. Abdomen, looked at from above, very nearly round, moderately convex on the upperside, and forming a roof or shield over the whole spider. Its epidermis is corneous. Legs short, moderately strong, and differing but little in their length, which appeared to be (though it was difficult to be certain on the point) relatively 4, 1,2, 3. This genus is very nearly allied to Phoroncidia (Westw.), and perhaps still more nearly to Ulesanis (L. Koch); but I am inclined to think it must be held distinct from either. STEGOSOMA TESTUDO, sp. n. (Plate XIV. fig. 10.) Female adult, length 1 line. When looked at from above, the whole of the cephalothorax, in- |