832 CLASS V. ARACHNIDA. 



alimentary canal, tracheae and nerves, separates the abdomen 

 from the thorax. 



Two ovarian tubules run one on either side of the abdomen. 

 They do not form a ring as is so often the case in Arachnids, 

 but they end blindly behind ; anteriorly each enters a chitin- 

 lined oviduct which ultimately fuses with its mate and opens 

 to the exterior on the first abdominal segment. Four testicular 

 tubules, two on each side of the alimentary canal, have been 

 described, but our knowledge of the male is less complete than 

 that of the female. There are no external organs of reproduction, 

 and the male can only be told by the presence of the flagellum 

 on the chelicerae or by some other minute secondary sexual 

 character. The young undergo a considerable portion of their 

 development within the ovary. 



The majority of the Solifugae are nocturnal in their habits, 

 though some species love the sunshine. Most, but not all, are 

 active and run busily about making a hissing noise with their 

 stridulators. There is much discrepancy in the accounts of 

 the poisonous nature of their bites, but at any rate no poison 

 gland has yet been discovered. They are for the most part 

 very hairy. They are common in the warmer regions of the 

 world, though they do not occur in Australia or in Madagascar. 

 In Europe they are found in Spain, Greece, and in Southern 

 Russia. 



There are some twenty-four genera and a hundred-and-seventy 

 species grouped in three families. 



Fam. 1. Galeodidae. (Fig. 546.) The stigmata on 2nd and 3rd abdominal 

 segments covered with a finely toothed plate. Only two eye-bristles. 

 Flagellum lancet-shaped. The claws on the legs are hairy and there are 

 claws on the 4th pair. Galeodes C. L. Koch, with 9 true species extends 

 from N. Africa through Arabia, Syria, Armenia, S. Russia, Transcaucasia 

 through Asia to further India. Paragaleodes Krpln. with six certain species 

 extends from Morocco across N. Africa to Palestine, Syria, Arabia and 

 Turkestan. 



Fam. 2. Solpugiclae. Xo tooth plate covering stigmata. Claws 

 smooth. Two or many eye-bristles. Flagellum varies greatly. 



Sub-fam. 1. Rhagodinae. Rhagodes with 22 species, Africa to 

 S. of the Equator and Asia ; Dinorhax with 1 species, D. rostrum- 

 psittaci, Moluccas, Cochin China and Assam. 



Sub-fam. 2. Solpuginae. Solpuga with 47 species extends all 

 over Africa, Zeriassa with 3 species is found in S. and E. Africa. 



Sub-fam. 3. Daesiinae. Daesia with 15 species ex tends throughout 

 Africa, Palestine, Arabia and Cyprus ; Gnosippus, 2 species found in 

 Egypt and Palestine ; Blossia 2 African species ; Gluvia I species 



