CTENIZIDA. 5 
’. Base of mandible without any rastellum at the apex. Spinning- 
mamille long, slender, widely situate at the base . . . . . . Drrruripa, Thor. 
B. Tarsi with claw-tufts; inferior claw hardly ever present (sometimes 
in immature forms and in some males on tarsus iv.). . . . . . THERAPHosID#, Thor. 
Fam. CTENIZIDZ. 
This very large and interesting family, quite distinct, as a rule, in general appearance 
and character from either the Theraphoside or the Dipluride, comprises all those 
species generally known as ‘Trapdoor Spiders.” Their habit, as distinct from those 
of the other two families, is to construct a more or less perfect movable lid, with 
which the long silk-lined burrow, formed in the soil, can be securely closed at pleasure. 
The Theraphosid, on the other hand, while constructing a silken tube either in the 
ground or crevices in tree-trunks, make no door of any kind. The Dipluride resemble 
this last family in the general nature of their habitat, but the entrance of the burrow 
is surrounded with a large flat sheet of webbing, very similar to the domiciles of the 
family Agelenide, of the section Arachnomorphe. 
The family Ctenizide may itself be conveniently divided into several subfamilies, of 
which, however, two only are represented (so far, that is to say, as present researches 
warrant one in the assertion) in the Central-American fauna, namely the Actinopodine 
and the Ctenizine, which may be characterized thus :— 
A. Coxa of pedipalp scarcely longer than broad. aye meely separate, not 
situate upon a raised prominence. . . . . . « ACTINOPODINE. 
B. Coxa of pedipalp distinctly longer than broad. " Byes more or “Tess closely 
grouped, and situate on a decidedly raised prominence . . . . . - . CTENIZINA. 
Subfam. ACTINOPODINAL. 
The two genera of this subfamily may be distinguished thus :— 
A. Thoracic fovea strongly procurved, not sinuous. Femur i. not gibbous 
* on the posterior side. Apex of labial plate and anterior side of the coxa of 
pedipalp studded with numerous cuspules. Apical margin of protarsus iv. 
without a regular row of spines on anterior apical margin. Tarsus iv. with 
a close group of numerous spines on anterior side. Anterior central eyes 
four diameters distant from posterior centrals, and six diameters from 
anterior laterals. . . . 2 + ee + + ee ee ee ee) 6. 6Actinopus, Perty. 
B. Thoracic fovea recurved, transverse, sinuous. Femur iii. gibbous on the 
posterior side. Labial plate not studded with cuspules. Coxa of pedipalp not 
studded with cuspules. Protarsus iv. with aregular row of 4-6 long spines 
on anterior apical margin beneath, beside 7-8 scattered spines on sides. 
Tarsus iv. without any spines on anterior side. Anterior central eyes one 
and a half diameters distant from posterior centrals, rather over three 
diameters from anterior laterals . . . . . . + «©» «© «© « « « Neocteniza, Poc. 
