No. 2303. RED SPIDERS OF AAlElUCA—McGREGOR. 655 



The writer (23) published a list of 29 synonyms of the original 

 European red spider ( T. telarius) as claimed by various workers since 

 Linnaeus. The studies that resulted in the elaboration of this exten- 

 sive synonjmiy were, for the most part, probably not conducted with 

 equipments of a natm-e satisfactory for the determination of the 

 taxonomic characters. A further critical review of these species may 

 bring to light additional synonyms of T. Urnaculatus. Ewing (15) 

 states that T. telarius, T. himaculatus, T. gloveri, and T. sexmaculatus 

 should be considered as synonymous. 



The writer has had an opportunity to study very critically all of 

 Banks's types, and has examined himaculatus material collected by 

 Harvey at Orono, Maine (type locality of same), as well as copious 

 material of sexmaculatus from Florida. We are agreed with Ewing 

 that gloveri and himaculatus are the same, but our studies iiave demon- 

 strated conclusively that sexmaculatus is distinct. Since Tragardh 

 (18), Zacher (13), and Berlese (5) of Europe state that telarius pos- 

 sesses but four erapodial claws, and since Zacher's and Berlese's 

 figures of the penis differ radically from tliat of himaculatus, the 

 writer prefers to consider the latter a distinct species, at least for the 

 nresent. 



T. vitis was described in 1867 by Boisduval (2) from mites on 

 grape in France. The accompanying text figures of the palpus and 

 mandibular plate, drawn from material collected and determined in 

 France, are obviously identical with the corresponding cJiaracters of 

 himaculatus. The tarsal appendages also agree perfectly with those 

 of himaculatus. A study of Boisduval' s type may corroborate this 

 and cause himaculatus to fall as a synonym of vitis. 



A critical study of Banks's type slide (No. 7508) of T. desertorum 

 reveals the fact that the tarsal claw is 6-clef t (not 4-clef t as claimed by 

 Banks), and it othervv^se agrees with that of himaculatus. The palpal 

 appendages of the former are also just like those of the latter, and 

 this is true also with the mandibular plate. 



A study of CockreU's (11) type slide of T. verhesinae on Verhesina 

 exauriculata, from Las Vegas, New Mexico, proves that the tarsal 

 structure, as well as tliat of the mandibular plate, shape of bod}', 

 arrangement of bristles and other characters, is quite like that of 

 bimxiculatus. Cockerell's description is so general that it might apply 

 equally to any of the red spiders, and is of almost no taxonomic value. 



Banks's type slide (No. 2330) of T. gloveri contains material that 

 conforms perfectly with himaculatus. The palpal appendages and the 

 collar trachea are of the himaculatus type, the tarsal claw is 6-cleft, 

 and the mandibular plate is just as in the latter species. 



An examination of Banks's type slide of T. bpuniiae on cactus 

 from Arizona reveals the fact that the palpal and tarsal characters are 

 precisely as in himaculatus. The empodial claw is 6-cleft, there is 



