OCR Text |
Show 1006 REV. O. P. CAMBRIDGE ON NEW [Dec. 15, 5. On some new and little-known Spiders (Araneidea). By the Rev. O. PICKARD CAMBRIDGE, M.A., F.R.S., &c. [Eeceived October 16, 1896.] (Plate L1I.) The four Spiders described below are from widely separated localities-Ceylon, Borneo, and South America. Por two of them (of the families Myrmecldce and Gasteracanthldce) it seems to me that two new genera are needed. Of the other two the females have already been described, but the males, now described and figured, are new. Tbe Spider on which one of the new genera is based-Frlula (Gasteracanthldce)-is of exceptional interest; it Avas received by m e many years ago from the collection of the late Mr. "Wilson Saunders, with an almost illegible, and to m e wholly unintelligible, little ticket attached to it, so that I neither knew the name of the captor nor the locality. Not long since I had an accidental clue to it which on being followed up resulted in these particulars being cleared up, and there is no doubt that this Spicier was found at Sarawak by Dr. A. R. Wallace. It is with much pleasure that I have now conferred upon this singular form the name (so well known and valued by every biologist) of its captor. Order ARANEIDEA. Gen. nov. AETIUS (fam. Myrmecldce). Cephalothorax much longer than broad; lateral marginal impressions at the caput slight; fore margin broadly but slightly roundly truncated. Posterior extremity rather drawn out into a somewhat tapering but truncated covering to the fore part of the connecting pedicle, which last is long, cylindrical, and corneous. Upper convexity moderate, profile slightly and uniformly curved ; normal grooves and indentations very slight. Eyes widely separated, in two transverse curved rows; the anterior row much the shortest and very slightly curved, the convexity of the curves of both rows directed forwards; the posterior row is double the length of the anterior and strongly curved. The four central eyes form a quadrangle broader than long, and its fore side shortest. The four laterals form a very large quadrangle whose relative proportions are similar to those of the central one, and the line formed by tbe laterals on each side is rather longer than that of the anterior row. The fore-central eyes are largest, the hind-laterals (apparently) the smallest. Legs not very long; rather slender, not very unequal in size, 4, 2, 1, 3. Spines few and slender. Tarsal claws 2, wdth a small claw-tuft on a supernumerary or claw-joint. Palpi short, slender; digital joints as long as, or a little longer |