Superfamily Argiopoidea 



Although there is a great variation in the colour and markings 

 within the limits of each of the species, there is a characteristic 

 pattern which with modification of details is evident in all of our 

 species (Fig. 528). On the base of the abdomen, in front of the 

 first pair of muscle impressions, there is an irregular, triangular, 

 white patch pointed forward; 

 there is a similar patch in the 

 space between the first and the 

 second pairs of muscle impres- 

 sions; and behind this is a nar- 



Fig. 527- 

 EPIGYNUM OF NEOSCONA ARABESCA 



Fig. 528. 

 NEOSCONA ARABESCA 



rower band, extending to the tip of the abdomen; sometimes 

 this band is broken into a series of spots; on each side of this 

 band there is a series of four or five conspicuous, black, oblique, 

 oval spots, each of which is usually partly surrounded by 

 a light patch. The widest departure from this type of markings 

 is exhibited by N. pratensis, which is figured later. 



As to the ventral markings, there is usually a yellow stripe 

 on the sternum; and the centre of the ventral aspect of the ab- 

 domen is brown, with a yellow stripe or a row of yellow spots 

 on each side. 



The females of the species described below, which are ail 

 that 1 know to occur in our fauna, can be separated by the fol- 

 lowing table: 



A. Femora of the first three pairs of legs with a double series 



of spines beneath. P. 502. 



496 



N. oaxacensis 



