414 ARACHNIDA—ARANEAE CHAP. 
Thanatus, extending from tropical to arctic regions, but very 
sparingly represented in England. 7h. striatus ( = hirsutus) occurs 
occasionally, and one example of the fine species Th. formicinus 
has been taken in the New Forest. The members of this genus 
as a rule affect dry and sandy habitats. 
The genus 7%bellus includes few species, but has a wide dis- 
tribution. The type species 7. oblongus (Fig. 213, D) is found in 
the temperate regions all over the world, and is common in Eng- 
land. It is a pale straw-coloured spider with a much elongated 
abdomen. It closely resembles the stems of dry grass in hue, and 
when alarmed it remains perfectly still with its legs embracing 
the stem and its abdomen closely applied to it. 
(iii.) The SPARASSINAE' include most of the large Latigrade 
forms, and number about forty genera. 
Heteropoda venatoria is a cosmopolitan species, and though 
proper to warm countries, is often introduced here on hothouse 
plants, and has been known to establish itself in the open air in 
botanical gardens. Our only indigenous member of this sub- 
family is Micrommata virescens (Fig. 213, A). This striking spider 
is found, though rarely, in the south of England. The female is 
half an inch in length and of a vivid green hue, while the more 
cylindrical abdomen of the male is yellow with three longitudinal 
scarlet lines. Other genera are Sparassus, Torania, and Delena. 
(iv.) The APHANTOCHILINAE include two curious genera which 
are exclusively American. The labium is much reduced and the 
sternum is shortened, terminating between the third pair of legs. 
The species of Aphantochilus are largish, glossy-black spiders, 
sometimes spotted with white. Some of them mimic ants of the 
genus Cryptocerus. The other genus is Bucraniwm. 
(v.) The STEPHANOPSINAE include about sixteen genera, of 
which the best known are Stephanopsis and Regillus. There are 
about fifty species of Stephanopsis, most of them Australian, while 
the eight species of Regillus belong to Africa and South Asia. 
The mimetic form Phrynarachne decipiens has already been 
alluded to (see p. 374). 
(vi.) The SELENOPINAE consist of a single genus, Selenops, of 
1 Simon, in his Histoire naturelle des araignées, removes the Sparassinae and 
the Selenopinae to the Clubionidae, considering that, notwithstanding the direc- 
tion of their legs, they have a greater affinity with that group than with the other 
Thomisidae., 
