Solifugae. 



103 



large pair of stigmata. In nearly all Solifugae the first appen- Table-case 

 dage is furnished with stridulatory ridges on its inner surface, ■^°' ^*- 

 and in the adult male its dorsal surface is almost always 

 provided with a curious chitinous structure, the "flagellum," 

 which differs much in shape in the various genera. The palp, 

 which is of large 

 size, has a suctorial 

 organ on its terminal 

 segment. A number 

 of peculiar chitinous 

 racket-shaped struc- 

 tures, the " malleoli," 

 are present on the 

 lower surface of the 

 basal segments of the 

 fourth leg. The 

 "abdomen" (opistho- 

 soma) is composed 

 of ten distinct somites 

 and the ventral sur- 

 face of the second 

 and third of these is 

 furnished with paired 

 tracheal stigmata, 

 while an additional 

 unpaired stigma is 

 often present on the 

 fourth. 



The Solifugae are 

 typically desert 

 forms, but a few 

 species are believed 

 to occur in forests. 

 After nightfall in the 

 tropics the nocturnal 



species are often found in liouses or tents to which they 

 have been attracted by the artificial light. Many species are 

 diurnal, and may be seen darting about with amazing speed in 

 search of prey during the hottest part of the day. They re not 

 venomous, the mandibles being devoid of poison glands. They 

 are oviparous. 



Solifugae occur in most of the tropical and warmer regions of 



Fig. 67. 

 GaJcodcs arabs (thrco-fourths natural size). 



