OCR Text |
Show 104 REV. O. P. CAMBRIDGE ON THE GENUS IDIOPS. [Feb. 10, confluent with the thoracic region ; the normal furrows and indentations are strongly marked, the median depression indicating the junction of the caput and thorax being very deep and curved. The colour of the cephalothorax (as also of the whole Spider except the abdomen) is a deep black brown, tinged with reddish, the abdomen being of a dull yellow-brown, blackened by numerous longish bristly black hairs, mingled with the shorter ones of a different colour; the cephalothorax is furnished with bristly black hairs, which chiefly follow the directions of the normal indentations. Eyes eight, disposed in three transverse rows, seated on a slightly elevated and somewhat circular area: the two front rows consist each of two eyes ; the third or posterior row consists of the four smallest eyes, and is much the longest and curved, the curve being directed backwards ; the eyes of this third row may be described as in two pairs, those of each pair being contiguous to each other, and forming the extremity of the row; the eyes of the two front rows form an oblong rectangular figure, whose transverse width is the shortest; the eyes of the first row are close above the fore margin of the caput, and are the largest of the eight, but the line formed by them is only equal in length to that formed by the eyes of the second row, which last are seated on whitish tubercles and, being smaller than those of the front row, are therefore separated by a wider interval. Several strong black bristles spring up behind the eyes and arch forwards over them ; and another, issuing from the centre of the area formed by the two front rows, arches backwards in a direction contrary to those before mentioned. Legs long and strong, the femora of those of the third pair being specially stout and tumid; they are furnished with blackish bristly hairs and a few spines ; their relative length is 4, 1, 2, 3, the length of those of the fourth pair being 18 lines, and of those of the third pair 12 lines; beneath the two superior terminal claws of the tarsi is a compact brush, or small scopula of hairs, which prevented its being ascertained whether a third (or inferior) claw was present or no ; the superior claws appeared to be destitute of pectinations; it was not, however, easy to observe this with accuracy; the tibiae of the first pair of legs are furnished with several spines, of which one is much stronger thau the rest, and issues from a small corneous prominence of the tibial joint. Palpi long and strong, similar in colour and armature to the legs ; cubital joint rather clavate, humeral strong and curved ; radial longer than the cubital, and rather densely furnished beneath with long bristly hairs ; digital joint narrow, oblong, a little constricted about its middle part; from beneath the hinder extremity of this joint spring the palpal organs, which are small and consist of a nearly circular red-brown corneous bulb prolonged into a sort of beak, directed rather outwards, and terminating in a filiform slightly curved point. Falces moderately strong and prominent, furnished with hairs, bristles, and a cluster of short black spines near their inner extremities. Maxillee long, cylindrical, divergent. |