Superfamily Argiopoidea 



the armature of the tibiae and metatarsi of the first two pairs of 

 legs (Fig. 564). These are armed with a series of very long spines 

 regularly spaced, and with a series of much shorter spines between 

 each two long spines; the short spines are curved and the members 

 of each series are successively longer and longer. 



These are slow moving spiders; they are found on low plants 

 and bushes, or under rubbish on the ground. They make little 

 use of their thread, as they construct no definite web. 



Only about thirty species are known from the entire world. 

 Three species occur in the United States; these represent two 

 genera which can be separated by the following table: 



TABLE OF GENERA OF THE MIMETID/E 



A. Clypeus much narrower than the ocular area; posterior 

 legs much shorter than the anterior legs. P. 519. 



Mimetus 

 AA. Clypeus not narrower than the ocular area; posterior legs 



not much shorter than the anterior legs. 



P. 520. 



Ero 



Genus MIMETUS (Mi-me'tus) 



In this genus the eyes are situ- 

 ated near the front edge of the head, 

 the clypeus being reduced to a very 

 narrow area. These spiders are said 

 to feed exclusively on other spiders. 

 They live in dry and warm places, 

 on bushes and fences and occasionally 

 in houses, where they invade the webs 

 of Tberidion tepidariorum. According 

 to I lentz the egg-sac is oblong and 

 tapers equally at both ends; they are 

 made in the webs of their victims. 

 Two species have been recognized 

 in our fauna. 



Mimetus interfector (M. in-ter- 

 fec'tor). — This is the best known 

 representative of the genus. It is 

 pale yellowish in colour and variable 



1 65. MIMETUS INTERFECTOR 



519 



