OCR Text |
Show 450 REV. O. P. CAMBRIDGE ON SIBERIAN SPIDERS. [May 6, between them (or perhaps it may be described as forming the outer corner of tbe inner apophysis) is a longish tapering pointed one, whose extreme point is slightly bent; the digital joint is of tolerable size; and the palpal organs are highly developed but not very complex ; from near their extremity on the outer side issues a strongish black, filiform, tapering, sharp-pointed spine, which curving backwards forms a large circle rather behind them and beneath the cubital joint; in connexion with a portion of this spine is some whitish semitransparent membrane. The falces, maxillee, and labium are of ordinary form and similar in colour to the cephalothorax, the sternum being suffused with dusky brown. The abdomen is oval, moderately convex above, of a yellowish colour suffused with dusky brown, thinly clothed with short fine hairs, and showing (in spirit of wine) some pale lines and markings. An adult example of this very distinct little Spider, which reminds one (in its general appearance as well as in some of its special characters) of Erigone diceros (Cambr.), was contained in the collection received from M. Taczanowski and made in Siberia by Dr. Dybowski, with whose name I have much pleasure in connecting it. ERIGONE (WALCKENAERA) SUBROSTRATA, sp. n. (Plate XLI. fig. 14.) Adult male, length nearly | of a line. This Spider is very closely allied to E. picina (BL), which it resembles remarkably in colour, form, and structure ; it is, however, rather smaller; the caput is rather less elevated, and the clypeus more prominent, forming at its lower margin a kind of broad bluntish nose-like prominence; the height of the clypeus very slightly exceeds half that of the facial space ; and a distinguishing character by which it may be at once separated from E. picina is furnished by the radial joint of the male palpus ; this instead of being produced at its fore extremity on the upperside into a long tapering slightly curved apophysis, has the curved portion more sharply bent into a nearly circular form, with the extreme point (which is blunt) sticking rather prominently upwards; there is also some difference in the structure of the palpal organs; with the exception of the difference above noted the radial joint is remarkably similar to that of E. picina, though the curved portion is perhaps in the present species rather less strong and darker-coloured. These differences, though slight, were constant in six examples compared with a great many of E. picina ; and I have therefore no hesitation in deciding it to be a distinct, though very nearly allied, species. The colour of the cephalothorax and other fore parts is a rich, shining brown, that of the legs and palpi yellow, tinged with orange, the abdomen being jet-black. Adult males were contained in the Siberian collection received from M . Taczanowski. |