OCR Text |
Show 758 MR. R. I. POCOCK ON ETHIOPIAN SPIDERS. [Jline 15, of 3rd 32 (4th absent) ; patella and tibia of 1st 14, tibia and protarsus 15. 3 . Total length 28; length of carapace 14, width 13; length of 1st leg 49, of 2nd 45, of 3rd 39, of 4th 5 2; patella and tibia of 1st 17, of 4th 18 ; protarsus and tarsus of 4th 19. Loc. Asaba, On the river Niger (Dr. Crosse). T w o males and a female. Also a male of apparently the same form from Cape Pal mas (Alvan Millson). The female specimen, judging from its size as compared with the male and with the adult females of calceata and griseipes, is not full-sized. But the shortness of its legs cannot be ascribed to immaturity, seeing that much smaller examples of calceata have the appendages relatively as long as the adult. The following key will serve to differentiate the females of the three known species of the genus. a. Carapace longer than the patella and tibia of the 1st leg, and as long as the tibia and protarsus of this limb, &c brachypoda, sp. n. b. Carapace considerably shorter than the patella and tibia of the 1st leg, and shorter by at least one-third of the protarsus than the tibia and protarsus of the 1st. a2. Lower and inner surfaces of femora of palp and of Ihe first pair of limbs greyish or yellowish brown ; long hairs yellowish brown griseipes, sp. n. b2. Lower surface of all the femora and inner surface of those of the palp and first two pairs of legs velvety black; long hair on limbs foxy red calceata (Fabr.). The males of the two species known to me may be recognized by the following table :- a. Protarsus of 1st leg with basal curvature and inferior scopular tuft; spine of palpal organ straight; patella and tibia of 4th leg shorter than of 1st leg; 4th protarsus as long as carapace, &c griseipes. b. Protarsus of 1st leg without basal curvature and without inferior scopular tuft; spine of palpal organ more curved, its apex more suddenly attenuate; patella and tibia of 4th longer than of 1st, 4th protarsus shorter than carapace brachypoda. Genus MONOCENTROPUS, nov. Carapace oval, longer than wide; fovea shallow, transverse, wider than ocular tubercle ; tubercle small, subcircular; eyes of anterior row somewhat strongly procurved, of posterior row recurved ; clypeus very narrow. Mandibles without external scopula; a single row of teeth below; the posterior portion of the lower surface weakly granular. Labium a little wider than long; its border granular like the inner angle of the maxilla. Sternum oval, longer than wide; the posterior sigilla distinctly removed from the margin. |