OCR Text |
Show 1880.] OF THE GENUS ARGYRODES. 341 The abdomen is large, and of a somewhat imperfectly globular form ; on each side, towards the hinder extremity of the upper part, is a small subconical eminence ; and the hinder extremity itself ends with three larger, subconical, nipple-like protuberances, two in a transverse line below and one in the middle above; the under ones are the longest, and a little divergent from each other. The colour of the abdomen is dark blackish brown, with a broad longitudinal band along the upperside, pointed in front and of a pale yellow-brownish hue.; this band includes the posterior prominences, and emits a prominent stripe of a similar colour on each side a little in front of the middle, and also has along its centre two black patches, of a somewhat diamond-shape; the anterior patch fits pretty closely into the fore extremity of the band, and is sometimes lost in connexion with the surrounding ground-colour. On each side of the abdomen near its hinder extremity, and beginning at the subconical eminence above noted, another pale yellowish-brown stripe runs downwards and a little obliquely backwards towards the spinners, above which, and in a line with the oblique stripe, is a circular spot or patch of a similar colour. The hinder part of the abdomen is sometimes marked with a similarly coloured band running downwards towards the spinners. Also on each side of the fore extremity of the abdomen, a little above the junction with the cephalothorax, is another, short, rather oblique band or patch of pale yellowish brown, its hinder extremity ending in a largish circular spot. All these pale markings are ornamented with brilliant silvery blotches and spots, two others of which are also conspicuous in a transverse line on the underside a little way in front of the spinners. Three female examples of this very distinct species were contained in a collection of Spiders made for me in Brazil (Parana) by Mr. Henry Rogers. ARGYRODES NIGRA, sp. n. (Plate XXX, fig. 20.) Adult male, length 1^ line; female If. The cephalothorax, legs, palpi, falce?, maxillae, labium, and sternum of this species are deep black-brown, excepting the two basal joints and a small portion of the posterior extremity of the femora of the legs, which are pale whitish yellow-the abdomen being quite black, without markings of any kind. The middle of the ocular area is prominent; but the lower part of the fore extremity of the caput is devoid of any prominence or protuberance. The eyes of the fore central pair are larger and wider apart than those of the hind central pair ; in other respects the eyes do not appear to differ from those of the typical species of Argyrodes. The relative length of the legs is 1, 4, 2, 3, thus differing from that of other Argyrodes; the maxillae also are rather less strong, more pointed at their extremity, and inclined perceptibly towards the labium ; the legs are furnished with longish pale hairs, both erect and semi-erect. The palpi are slender and moderately long; the radial and cubital joints are very short; the digital joint is very large ; and the |