ARACHNIDA ARANEAE 



CHAP. 



The number, relative size, and particular arrangement of these 

 eyes are of considerable systematic importance. Their disposition 

 varies very greatly, but it is generally possible to regard them as 



forming two transverse rows, an anterior and 

 a posterior, each possessing a pair of median 

 and a pair of lateral eyes. 



In many spiders all the eyes have a 

 dorsal aspect, but in some groups (Attidae, 

 Lycosidae) the prevailing arrangement is to 

 have the anterior eyes directed forwards and 

 the posterior upwards. In other spiders, 

 again, a dorsal view may only show the eyes 

 in profile, all having their axes directed 

 forwards or sideways, or they may lie 

 mounted on turrets, and thus command a 

 wide range of view. The rows are described 

 as straight, " procurved " (with the convexity 



Fir.. 173,-Diagrammatic Backwards), or " recurved " (With the COll- 

 dorsal view of a Spider, vexity forwards). Thus, in Fig. 177, the 

 anterior row is slightly, and the posterior 

 o, ^ocular row considerably " recurved." 



Sometimes there is a marked difference 

 in the colour of the eyes, two or more being 

 black, while the remainder are pearly white. 

 In other cases they are homogeneous, either 

 of the black or the white type. Simon considers the black eyes 

 to be diurnal and the white nocturnal, but the evidence for this is 

 indirect and not altogether satisfactory. The portion of the caput 

 occupied by the eyes is often alluded to as the " ocular area." The 

 space between the ocular area and the chelicerae, well shown in Fig. 

 1 77, is known as the " clypeus." It is usually more or less vertical, 

 but in the Aviculariidae (see p. 386) it is horizontal and dorsal. 

 The under surface of the cephaiothorax is protected by the 

 " sternum " or " plastron," a large plate of variable shape, usually 

 notched at either side for the reception of the legs, and having in 

 front a small plate, generally hinged, but sometimes soldered to 

 it, known as the. " labium." This has no homology with the 

 la Ilium of insects, but is a true sternite, more correctly described 

 as " pars labialis sterni." 



The labium and the maxillary lobes of the palpi more or less 



marking ; 



.iivu ; u, pedipalp ; 

 st, stria. (The dotted 

 line should reach the 



radial marking on the 



cephaiothorax. ) 



