THE SPIDERS OF EPPING FOREST. 5I 



SECTION ARANEOMORPHAE (see Vol. xii., p. 192). 



Family DYSDKRIDAE. 



[Dysderidae, Cambr. List, ad. partei)i.'\ 



Cephalo-thorax varies in different i^enera : median stria very minute or 

 iibsent. Eyes b, homo<i^eneous, of the nocturnal type, nearly equal, in a more 

 or less compact group. Ocular area broader than lon<^, narrower than the ca])ut. 

 Clypeiis narrow. Falces articulated so as to permit of motion in an oblique or 

 else in a horizontal jilane, robust, more or less attenuated : basal protuberance 

 absent : fang long, more or less robust : fang-groove margins dentated. Labium 

 free, much longer than wide, recurved laterally, parallel sided or a little attenuated, 

 always truncated at the summit, often even a little excavated. Sternum elongate 

 oval, strongly impressed laterally, attenuated in front, always passing beyond the 

 point of insertion of coxae I., posteriorly more or less obtuse between coxae IV., 

 which are somewhat separated. Maxillae long and straight, not inclined, wide and 

 more or less convex from base to insertion of palpus, then strongly constricted ex- 

 ternally, then slightly dilated, obliquely truncated on internal side which is bordered 

 by a long scopula. Palptis : Female : tarsus longer than tibia and furnished with a 

 small, simple claw. Male : palpal tibia without apophysis ; palpal organs simple 

 and quite exposed. Legs usually rather robust and remarkable for the length of 

 •coxae and patellae I. and 11. : Tarsal claws 2 or 3, pectinate, the teeth being 

 almost always more numerous in legs I. and II. : inferior claws when present 

 almost always unarmed : onvchium usuallv absent. Abdomen elongate oval, or 

 almost cylindrical, its integument very soft. Tube -tracheal openings 2, very 

 distinct, situated not far from the laminal tracheae and somewhat oblique. 

 Spinners short, forming a compact group, inferiors very close, consisting of a 

 stout basal joint and a conical terminal joint : superiors very similar in structure 

 to inferiors : cribellum absent. Female genital aperture simple, without special 

 armature. 



The Dysderidae spin no snare, but conceal themselves in 

 silken tubes. The sexual differences are slight. Three very 

 distinct genera are represented in this country, and may be 

 separated by means of the following table. 



TABLE OF DYSDERIDAE. 



1. Ocular area not much broader than long. Integument between 



the coxae strongly chitinised. Coxae somewhat globular. 

 Tarsal claws 2 or 3. Tarsus of female palpus somewhat 

 oval. Median spinners almost as long as inferior ones. 

 Abdomen, grey, unicolorous , . . , , . 2 



Ocular area much broader than long. Integument between 

 the coxae normal. Coxae cylindrical. Tarsal claws 3. 

 Tarsus of female palpus c\lindrical. Median spinners 

 slender, and much shorter than inferior ones. Abdomen 

 with a pattern . . . . . . . . Segestvia 



2. Eyes arranged in the form I of a horse-shoe, the anteriors well 



separated. Tarsal claws 2. Cephalo-thorax red or liver- 

 coloured .. .. .. .. ... Dysdeva 



