I 



from the Lower Amazons djc. 95 



Genus DOLOPCEUS, Thor. 



1891. Dolopaeus, Thor. — I cannot as yet spsak with any cer- 

 tainty of the affinities of this j^enus, except that it has three 

 tarsal claws and a " Ctenoid " eye-forraula. 



(b) Characters of a new Genus and Descriptions of new 

 Species from the New World. 



Genus Lycoctexus, nov. * 



Type L. brunneuSj sp. n. 



Lower Amazons. 



Diagnosis. — Eye-formula "Ctenoid," second row procurved. 

 Lateral anteriors midway between central and lateral poste- 

 riors. Ocular quadrangle a little longer than broad, scarcely 

 narrower in front than behind ; all four eyes subequal. 

 Clypeus equal to 2h diameters of anterior centrals. 



Lower margin of fang-groove with 4 stout teeth, no. 3 some- 

 times small {($ Hewitsoni has 3 only), upper with 1 large 

 and 2 small. 



Tibise i. and ii. with 4 pairs of short spines beneath. No 

 lateral or dorsal spines in the female (male with 8 lateral and 

 '6 dorsal). 



Protarsi i. and ii. with 3 pairs of spines beneath and a 

 single short stout spur at apex beneath. Protarsi iii. and iv . 

 with two apical spines beneath. 



Posterior tarsi iii. and iv. with a double series of 3-6 short 

 spines beneath on each side. 



* I hesitate to determine the systematic position of this genus until 

 much more material has come before me. It is undoubtedly very nearly 

 allied to Thalassiiis (^Titurhis), Simon ; but the latter (sec. Simon) has three 

 teeth on the lower margin of the fang-groove, one of the characters by 

 •which Thahissius is distinguished (sec. Simon) from Dolomedea. Speci- 

 mens very probably belonging to Thalassius, Simon, which liave come 

 before me Irom South Africa, are certainly not congeneric with my Lyco- 

 ctenus. Vulsor and Viridasius possess 2 teeth only on the fang-margin. 

 Of Dohpceus Thorell says { l89o, Spid. Burmah) '• uon a Tkalassius 

 dift'ert '■ ; so tnat it certainly differs from Lycoctenus. Neither is Lyco- 

 ctenus congeneric with Fyc/Kicteaus and Cychctcnus, L. K., since the 

 posterior eyes of the ocular quadrangle are much larger than theanteriois 

 in the latter genera, whilj in Lycoctenus both posterior and anterior eyes 

 are subequal. 1 would not liiie to be too sure about its distinctness from 

 Ancylometes, Bertk., for I do not quite grasp the characters of the latter. 

 M. Simon says with reference to this ;:enus, comparing it ■vsnth Dolu- 

 medes : — "la marge inferieure des cheliceres otfre constaiament quatre 

 dents (Uolomedeti), tandi- que chez les Tkalasskts, de meme que chez les 

 Anc-y'o metes, elle n'en presente que trois." Bertkau saj's of his own 

 genus, " unterer Klauenfalzrand mit 4, oberer mit 2 Ziihnchen," so that I 

 hesitate to speali at all positively concerning the latter genus. 



