| OCR Text |
Show 1880.] OF THE GENUS ARGYRODES. 333 webs of the larger Epeirids. This is, to my mind, the most delicately beautiful of all the hitherto known species of this pretty and curious genus. ARGYRODES NASUTA, sp. n. (Plate XXIX. fig. 11.) Adult male, length 1| line. The cephalothorax of this Spider is yellow-brown, the normal grooves and indentations being of a deeper hue. The fore extremity of the lower surface of the caput is produced forwards, in a horizontal direction, into a long, strong projection, enlarged or somewhat spoon-shaped at its extremity, which is furnished with prominent hairs; the length of this projection, which is rather paler in colour than the cephalothorax, about equals the length of the caput. The eyes are in the usual position; but the ocular area, though a little projecting, is not raised above the ordinary level.. The profile of the upperside of the caput and thorax, excepting a small impression at the thoracic junction, forms a nearly straight, though slightly ascending line. The legs are very slender, furnished only with short fine hairs; those of the first pair are much the longest, being about, or nearly, four times the length of the Spider ; those of tbe second pair are rather longer than the fourth ; and the third pair are the shortest. The legs are of a dull yellowish brown colour, paler than the cephalothorax. The palpi are short, similar in colour to the legs, excepting the digital joints, which are of very large size and of a shining nearly black hue. The palpal organs are not complex, but very compact. The radial and cubital joints are both short, the former being the strongest. The falces are long and moderately strong; they project a little forwards, and, with the maxillae and labium, which are of normal form, are similar in colour to the cephalothorax. The sternum is of the usual triangular shape, and is of a deep black-brown colour. The abdomen has its hinder extremity greatly produced in a somewhat cylindric form, ending in an obtuse somewhat rounded form. Its colour is blackish brown, paler on the sides ; it is marked on the upper part and sides with narrow white stripes, forming on the upperside a large, nearly diamond-shaped figure, and some oblique lines on the sides of the posterior half. The spinners occupy an angular position just halfway between the fore and hinder extremity of the abdomen. Two examples of this curious Spider were contained in a collection received from Ceylon, from Mr. G. H. K. Thwaites, several years a^o. In the form of the fore extremity of the lower surface of the caput we have the tendency to development in that part of the structure of this genus carried to the most extreme limit as yet known. |
