28 I.KCORDS OF THK AUSTRALIAN MUSEUM. 



DlPCENE^. 



This is a small group, consisting of three genera, only one of 

 which occurs in Australia, namely Latrodpctiis, Walck. Tlie range 

 of this genus is " Orbis totius reg. trop. et sub-trop."-' For this 

 genus Thorell desci'ibed what he supposed to be two distinct Aus- 

 tralian species — L. hasseltii and L. srelio.'^'^ They are, howe^■er 

 synonymous, and hasseltii must be accepted as the specific 

 name. 



L. hasseltii is widely distributed throughout India, Malaysia, 

 Papua, Australia, New Zealand, and Polynesia. The Indian form 

 (L. hasseltii var. indicus, Sim.) has been recorded by Simon from 

 Arabia.*^ In Australia it is known as the " Venomous Spider," 

 and in New Zealand by the Maori name " Katipo, which is said 

 to mean " night-stinger." In respect of the bite and its effects, 

 the matter is at present under investigation, and will be dealt 

 with on a future occasion. 



The webs of this species are established in all sorts of dark 

 corners, in old and empty cans, or amongst any loose rubbish ; they 

 also occur under stones and I'ock shelters. 



The snare is of the usual retitelarian type, somewhat dome- 

 shaped ; the lines are very strong, and are capable of arresting- 

 large and powerful beetles. The cocoons are yellow, closely- 

 knitted, somewhat woolly in appearance, and each encloses a large 

 number of eggs. The inner walls have much the same appearance 

 as the outer. A large number of cocoons are made, and these are 

 always suspended together. 



ASAGENK.E. 



This is a group of stridulating Theridions. It is remarkable 

 that of the ten genera referred to it by Simon — some of which are 

 most widely distributed — none are known to occur on the main- 

 land of Australia. There is only one genus which may be 

 considered as part of our fauna, namely, Aiicoccelus, Sim., of 

 Tasmania, and that has only one species — A. livens, Sim. This 

 genus is most nearly allied to the European and American Steatoda, 

 Sund. The Tasmanian species is unknown to me. 



'•^1 Simon — Loc. cit., p. 569. 



'^* Thorell — Aranea nonnullse Nova Hollnudia, in Oiv. Kontcl. 



Vet.-Akad. Forhandl., 1870, 4, p. 369 ; also Koch— Die Aracliiiidwii 



Australieiis, i., 1871, pp. 276 aud 279. 

 ■i» Simon— Bull. Mus. Hist. Nat.. 1897, 3. p. 95; and 1902, 4. u. 



252. 



