OCR Text |
Show 1889.] REV. O. P. CAMBRIDGE ON NEW ARANEIDEA. 41 The figures of the nest (Plate II. fig. 2, e, f, g) were drawn by Lieut. Pink, of the Queen's Regiment. Genus MOGGRIDGEA, Cambr. MOGGRIDGEA ABRAHAMI, Sp. n. (Plate II. fig. 3.) Adult female. Length &\ to 7 lines; length of cephalothorax 2\ to 3 lines ; breadth slightly over \h to slightly over 2 lines. Cephalothorax oval, slightly truncate at its hinder extremity, more broadly truncated at its anterior margin. Thoracic indentation rather nearer the posterior than the anterior margin, well marked and deep, semicircular, the convexity of tbe curve directed forwards, and its posterior margin rather gibbous. Caput well defined, but not elevated. The height of the clypeus equals half that of the facial space. The colour of the cephalothorax is dull yellowish brown. The eyes (looked at from above and very slightly behind) form two slightly curved transverse rows, the convexity of the curve directed forwards ; looked at from above and in front the anterior row might be said to be straight. The fore central pair are separated from each other by an eye's interval; the laterals of the same row are largest of the eight, oval, oblique, and each is separated from the central eye on its side by rather more than the length of its longest diameter. The posterior row is shorter than the anterior, its lateral eyes are each removed from the fore lateral eye next to it by an eye's diameter (in one example rather less than a diameter) ; the hind centrals are each very near, but not quite contiguous, to the hind lateral on its side, and the two (hind lateral and central) are placed strongly obliquely and almost in a straight line with the fore-central on their side. The legs are short, strong, 4, 1,2, 3, though there is but very slight difference between 1, 2, and 3. They are of a yellowish hue, the femora and tibiae (as also the tarsi and metatarsi of the first and second pairs) more or less suffused with blackish brown. The tibice, tarsi, and metatarsi of the first two pairs are armed on each side with a row of strong spines of different lengths. The superior pair of tarsal claws are furnished beneath with one or two small denticulations. The palpi are similar to the legs in colour and armature. The falces are powerful, but not remarkable in form or strength, and are similar in colour to the cephalothorax. The maxillee are subcylindric, with only a slight, obtuse, prominent point at their inner extremity; their surface on the inner side is furnished with some small, deep red-brown, spinous denticulations. The labium is short, rather broader than long, its apex rounded and a little narrower than the base. The surface near the apex is furnished with denticulations similar to those on the maxillse. The sternum (with the maxillse and labium) is of the same colour as the legs, and of an equilateral subtriangular form. The abdomen is large, short-oval, very convex above, clothed with fine hairs, and of a dark purplish chocolate-brown hue ; on the sides |