FUFIUS. 39 
those of the majority of the Mygalomorphe, and offer an interesting illustration of the 
general similarity in form and structure which spiders of similar habit often exhibit. 
The Dipluride, especially the genera Ischnothele, Euagrus, Diplura, Melodeus, &c., with 
habits very similar to those of the Agelenide and Podophthalmide, are themselves, too, 
exceedingly similar in general character. We have the long spinners for weaving the 
broad sheet of web at the entrance of the burrow, the same excessive rapidity of move- 
ment, and, what is more curious, a very similar plan of coloration on the abdomen. 
At first sight, to one accustomed to the habits of the Agelenide in Europe, Ischnothele 
and Podophthalmus would be at once supposed to belong to this family, so strikingly 
alike are they in the nature of their web and tube, their elongate form, and in the 
character of their movements. 
‘The family is very poorly represented amongst the forms from Central America, 
viz. by two species of Euagrus, four of Ischnothele, and one of Fufius. That this 1s 
anything like a fair representation of the family as actually existing in that region 
cannot be admitted for a moment, and future collectors will be able to add numbers of 
species and perhaps genera to this very interesting group. 
The Central-American Dipluride belong to two subfamilies, which may be thus 
characterized :— 
A. Protarsi and tarsi i. and ii. more or less scopulate. Tarsi not spinose 
beneath. Denticles of superior tarsal claws in a double series. Ante- 
rior spinners separated by two diameters of one of them at the base, DipLurina. 
B. Protarsi and tarsi i. and ii. not scopulate. Tarsi more or less spinose 
beneath. Denticles of superior tarsal claws in a single series. Ante- 
rior spinners separated at the base by at least the length of one 
spinner». ee ee eee eee ee ee eee + ASCHNOTHELINE, 
Subfam. DIPLURINA. 
FUFIUS. 
Fufius, E. Simon, Ann. Soc. Ent. Fr. 1888, p. 213. 
This interesting genus is distributed throughout Central America and the northern 
regions of South America, different forms occurring in Guatemala, Bolivia, and the 
Lower Amazons. 
Closely allied forms, possibly not congeneric with those of the Neotropical region, 
are found in Madagascar according to Lenz, and in Australia according to L. Koch * 
* M. Simon (Hist. Nat. Araign. éd. 2, i. p. 180) refers all these forms to the single genus Hapalothele, 
Lenz, which is based on H. varia (L. Koch), from Fort Bowen, described under Ivalus (a preoccupied name, 
for which Jwamadus has been substituted by M. Simon). Whether the Madagascan, Oceanian, and Neotropical 
forms are really congeneric or not I am not in a position to judge, but prefer to keep to the older distinctions 
offered under the generic names Hapalothele for those of Oceania and Madagascar, and Fujius for those of 
America. 
ch 
Ft 2 
