170 DIPLITBID^. 



Family DIPLUKID./E. 



Eesembling the Cteniziclse in having 3 claws, of which the 

 superior are strongly toothed, and in having no ungual tufts * 

 on the tarsi ; but distinguished by the absence of the rastellum, 

 by having the posterior spinners very long and the anterior widely 

 separated, and by the small size and marginal position of the 

 sternal sigilla. 



Distribution. Tropical and temperate parts of the world to the 

 south of about the 45th parallel of IS", lat. 



Habits. The species of Dipluridse live in tubes lined with silk T 

 which is produced beyond the mouth of the tube in the form of 

 an extended sheet of web constituting a snare. 



Synopsis of Indian Genera. 



a. Terminal segment of posterior mamillse flexible 



and as long as the preceding two ; labium 



unarmed ISCHNOTHELE, p. 170, 



1). Terminal segment of posterior mamillse shorter 



than preceding two, straight, not flexible ; 



labium spinulose MACROTHELE, p. 171r 



Genus ISCHNOTHELE, Ausserer. 



Ischnothele, Ausserer, Verh. z.-b. Ges. Wien, xxv, p. 162, 1875. 

 Thelechoris, Karsch, Abh. Ver. Bremen, vii, p. 196, 1881. 

 Entomothele, Simon, Ann. Soc. Ent. Fr. 1888, p. 235. 



Carapace low ; fovea deep, procurved ; ocular tubercle large \ 

 lateral eyes large, elliptical. Mandible armed below with two 

 rows of teeth ; maxillae studded basally with spicules ; labium 

 unarmed. Legs spined, not scopulate ; tarsi not spined. Abdo- 

 men broad, posteriorly truncate : space between anterior mamillee 

 exceeding their length, and about six times their diameter; 

 posterior mamillae very long, their distal segment as long as the 

 others, slender and flexible. 



c? with single spur on the tibia of the 1st leg; tarsus of 

 palp slender, as long as the tibia. 



Type, /. caudata, Auss. 



Distribution. Central and South America ; Tropical Africa ; 

 Madagascar ; India. 



Except in the tropical African genus Heterothele. 



