130 



in this structure, sometimes small indeed, hut distinct, while he is right as far as 

 the South-American forms of '^ Lainprochernes" are concerned (cf. Hansen. 49. p. 236). 

 There seems sometimes to be a dilTerence according to sex in the number of the 

 dentated lobes of the lamina interior, for it is in the male of Ch. Birmaniciis Thor. 

 f. inst, three, but in the female four (PI. IV, figs. 4 a-b). 



Maxillae and Palps. — The shape of the maxillae provide in Ch. Miirrayi 

 Poc. a valuable sexual character (PI. Ill, figs. 8f-g; cf. description of this species). 

 The palps are often almost alike in the two sexes, but as a rule small dilTerences 

 are found in the relation between the length and the breadth of the joints; the 

 palps of the males are always the most powerful, if there is any difference, f. inst. 

 in Ch. Murraiji Poc. (PI. Ill, figs. 8 h-i) and Ch. equester With (21. pi. IX, figs. 1 ad). 

 In the gaping of the fingers, when closed, there is as shown by Hansen (9. p. 529 

 and 49. p. 236). The chelae of the males gape, when they are closed, distinctly in 

 the middle, as the fingers only touch each other at the base and to a small extent 

 at the apex, in Ch. depressus C. K. (fig. 2 d) and Ch. Mortensenii n. sp. f. insl., more 

 moderately so in Ch. granulatus C. K. and scarcely so in Ch. lampropsalis L. K. 

 Tlie gaping seems to be very slight in most species of Chelifer Geof. outside '■^Lopho- 

 chernes Sim.", but very marked in a Ch. nodnlimanus Tom. from Brazil and Ch. 

 cocophilus Sim. (cf. below). Simon used the gaping of the fingers in Ch. bicarinatus 

 Sim. as one of the characters for his genus Lophochernes Sim. (1878. 25. p. 6i>), and 

 Thorell used the gaping of the fingers as a specific character of importance in his 

 description of Ch. Mans Thor. (1891, 13. p. 356); both laid too much stress on this 

 structure, as may easily be realised from the above. 



Legs. — The shape of the coxae provide sometimes characters of great value 

 in the identification of the sexes, especially in "Lophochernes Sim.", in the males of 

 which the fourth pair includes a differently shaped coxal sac (PI. Ill, figs. 1 e-f), 

 but also in species of other groups f. inst. in Ch. equester With (cf. 21. pi. VIII, 

 figs. 3 d Ç, c?) ; in some species, f. inst. the three Asiatic ones, described in this paper, 

 and Ch. (/ranulatus C. K. (fig. 1 f, /) the coxa of the fourth pair is provided with an 

 external spine or tubercle, which is wanting in the other species examined by me. 



The tarsi of the first pair of legs differ in many species according to sex 

 f. inst. in C/i. superbus n. sp. (cf. description) but especially in Ch. htmpropsalis 

 L. K. sp. aff. (cf. pp. 42—43). 



VI. Genera. 



The genus Chelifer Geof. was established in the year 1783, even if we take 

 it in (he restricted sense; it has later on been subdivided in a great number of 

 genera and subgenera, the systematic value of which will presently be discussed. 

 The position of a single genus viz. Pelorus C. K. (1843. 1. p. 59, tab. CCCXLII) seems 

 to be doubtful; it is from the description realised, that its legs are in the main 

 similar lo those of Chelifer Geof., hut it has in addition accortling lo the descrip- 

 tion a céphalothorax, which is pointed in front and provided wilh four eyes. 



