Superfamily Argiopoidea 



EE. No such black marginal line. P. 645. 



P. febriculosus 

 DD. Cephalothorax showing no such stripe. P. 645. 



P. insularis 



THE MORE COMMON SPECIES OF PIRATA 



The species of Pirata resemble each other to a striking degree 

 in colour and markings. The cephalothorax is brown or blackish, 

 with a pale stripe on each side below the eyes, which extend back- 

 ward and inward, and merges with its fellow in the region of the 

 median furrow, the two being continued as a single median stripe 

 on the hinder part of the carapace (Fig. 725); in the head-region 

 a pale median stripe divides the darker area enclosed between 

 the two stripes so that this dark area is more or less V-shaped. 

 On each side of the thorax there is usually a submarginal light 

 stripe and frequently a marginal line of white hair. The abdomen 

 may or may not have a basal lanceolate stripe; it usually has a 

 row of white or yellow spots along each side of the dorsum; and 

 there are frequently several chevrons near the caudal end. 



Pirata minuius (P. mi-nu'tus). — This is a small species, the 

 male measuring about one eighth inch or less in length; the female, 

 a little more than one eighth inch. The carapace is dark brown, 

 with a forked reddish yellow median band of the usual form and 

 on each side of the thoracic part a marginal light stripe; along this 

 stripe there is in life a marginal line of white hair. The abdomen 

 is black above, with or without a narrow lanceolate mark at base, 

 and clothed, with sparse light brown or grayish hair, with a series 

 of five or six spots of white hair along each side for the entire length 

 and several more or less distinct chevrons on the hinder part. The 

 chelicerae are armed with but two teeth. The form of the epigy- 

 num is shown in Fig. 724, a. 



This species occurs in the northeastern United States. 



Pirata aspirans (P. av-pi'rans). — The sides of the carapace 

 are dark brown crossed by radiating lines of black; there is a 

 pale forked median band of the usual form, and a marginal band 

 of yellow on each side limited below by a line of black, and extend- 

 ing forward only to opposite the third eyes. The abdomen is 

 black above, minutely punctuate with yellow at the sides; there 

 is a basal yellow lanceolate mark, on each side of which just 



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