Superfamily Argiopoidea 



D. Abdomen of female with a pair of dorsal median 



tubercles and with a slender caudal projection. 



P. 454. C. turbinata 



DD. Abdomen without a dorsal tubercle and with the 



caudal projection stout. P. 451. 



C. conica 



Cyclosa conica (C. con'i-ca). — In the Northern States we 

 have only one common species of Cyclosa, which is this one. The 

 full-grown female is about one fourth inch in length and is easily 

 recognized by the form of the caudal end of the abdomen which 

 is extended into a prominent hump (Fig. 463); in the male there 

 is only a slight trace of the hump. The cephalothorax is dark 



Fig. 462. 

 CEPHALOTHORAX OF CYCLOSA 



Fig. 463. 

 CYCLOSA CONICA 



gray or black; and the abdomen is mottled with gray and white; 

 but there are great variations in colour; some individuals are 

 almost white while others are nearly black. 



The web is built upon shrubs, and is common in open wood- 

 lands. It is a complete orb and is remarkable for its symmetry 

 and for the fineness of its meshes; there being a large number of 

 radii, and the turns of the viscid spiral being very close together 

 (Fig. 464). The foundation lines are often very few in number; 

 in the web figured here there are only four main ones, which 

 form a quadrangular space in which the orb is stretched, and 

 a short secondary one at each corner of this space. The hub 

 is meshed; there is a distinct notched zone, and a rather wide 



45> 



