Vol. XXXl] ENTOMOLOGICAL NEWS 167 



fore this group was known to include but two, or perhaps 

 three, American species, namely oaxacensis (Keyserling) of 

 Mexico and Central America and vertebrate (McCook) of the 

 southwestern United States. In the Biologia Centrali- 

 Americana F. O. Picard-Cambridge describes a species coni- 

 fera from Mexico and Central America, and places vertebrata 

 in synonomy with oaxacensis; but a study of material from 

 the type locality of vertebrata (San Diego, California) and 

 elsewhere in the southwest shows that vertebrata agrees in 

 all details except in size with conifera as described by the 

 author mentioned, and differs correspondingly from oaxa- 

 censis. Conifera is thus probably a synonym of vertebrata. 

 The Saltair Beach spider is close in general structure to these 

 forms; but it is an obviously distinct species, and one which 

 seems never to have been named. It is a much more darkly 

 colored species than vertebrata, with relatively longer legs, 

 and differs in structural details as indicated in the description 

 below. Thus far it has not been taken anywhere excepting 

 at the Saltair Beach. The types of this species are in the 

 collection of the Museum of Comparative Zoology, Cambridge, 

 Massachusetts. 



Neoscona salaeria sp. nov. 



9 . Adult females in full color have the integument of carapace and 

 legs from mahogany to black, without any distinct markings. Sternum 

 black with a narrow median longitudinal stripe of yellow. Labium and 

 endites black with anterior and mesal borders, respectively, pale. The 

 carapace and sternum clothed with gray hair, the legs with gray and 

 brown hairs. Abdomen in general blackish, showing above a narrow 

 median longitudinal stripe, much as in oaxacensis, formed by numerous 

 small yellow dots but with no spots or marks of yellow as large as those 

 occurring in vertebrata or oaxacensis; on the lateral parts of the dorsum, 

 especially anteriorly, similar small yellow dots may occur in varying 

 numbers, the median stripe sometimes dissolving in a larger anterior area 

 formed by such dots. Very often the dorsal yellow markings are almost 

 wholly obliterated. Venter with four yellow spots, two just caudad of 

 the epigastric furrow and two in front of the spinnerets. Abdomen 

 clothed with shorter gray hairs and longer, more sparse setae of brownish 

 color. Younger and freshly molted females are light colored, with dis- 

 tinct markings like those of the males, a similar red color often showing 

 on the abdomen. 



