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AMKKICAN SPIDERS AND THEIR SPINNINGWORK. 



GENUS CERCIDIA, TIIORELL, 1869. 



In Cercidia the cephalothorax is oval, the head elevated and somewhat quadrate. 

 'The sternum is somewhat longer than wide, and marked with distinct sternal cones. 

 The labium and maxillae are as in Epeira. The eyes are substantially as in Epeira, 

 except that the siderear eye is larger. The fourth leg is longest of all. The abdomen 

 is a regular oval, but is distinguished from Epeira, Zilla, and Singa by the glossy hard 

 skin. The individuals of Cercidian species are small. The typical American species is C. 

 funebris. The cocoon is a small egg shaped sac. 1 



No. 70. Cercidia funebris KKYSERLING. 



Plate XIX, Fig. 9, 9a-c. 



1889. Cercidia funebris, MARX in lilt. 

 1892. Cercidia funebris, KEYSERUNG 



Catalogue, p. 540 (KKYSERLING in litt.). 

 Spinnen Ainerikas, Epeir., p. 37, ii., 32, 32a. 



FEMALE: Total length, 4 mm.; abdomen, 3 mm. long by 2.5 mm. wide across the 

 shoulders; cephalothorax, 1.75 mm. long by 1.3 mm. wide. The general colors in front, dark 

 brown to blackish ; the abdomen glossy black, with longitudinal stripes of cretaceous or yellow. 



CEPHALOTHORAX: A rounded oval; head prominent; cephalic suture strongly marked; 

 fosse entirely overhung by the abdomen; caput high; color blackish brown. Sternum shield 

 shape, somewhat longer than wide, but rather rounded at the apex; sternal cones distinct; 

 flat in the middle ; slightly pubescent ; color jet black. Labium triangular, half the height 

 of the maxillae, which are as broad as long; cut square at the tips, and, like the labium, 

 glossy black, in contrast with the yellow coxae. 



EYES: Eye space black or blackish brown; ocular quad on a rounded eminence; man- 

 ifestly wider in front than behind, and the sides longest; MF decidedly smaller than MR, 

 separated by about one and a half to two diameters, while MR are separated by about or a 

 little more than one ; side eyes on tubercles, eubequal, contingent, removed from MF by 

 a space equal to the area of the latter, and at least half greater than the intervening space 

 of MF ; front eye row recurved, the longer rear row procurved ; clypeus two and a half to 

 three diameters MF in height. 



LEGS: 4, 1, 2, 3, as follows: 4.4, 4.2, 3.9, 2.6 mm.; color dark brown, lighter at the 

 bases of the femora, the coxae underneath yellow; stout rows of strong, short, yellow 

 bristles both above and beneath along the joints, and apparently without spines; palps 

 colored and armed as legs ; mandibles strong, conical, parallel. 



ABDOMEN : An oval longer than broad ; narrower at the apex than at the base ; the 

 dorsum arched; the skin hard and bright, glossy; the folium a black to blackish brown 

 figure, undulating at the margin, and a broad interrupted ribbon of cretaceous or yellow 

 along the median band, which is divided in the middle by an irregular thread of blackish 

 brown color, except upon the base. A broad waving band of yellow passes longitudinally 

 along each side beyond the folium; and below that again on the sides are broad bands of 

 glossy brown, which terminate in a narrow longitudinal strip of cretaceous that borders the 

 blackish quadrilateral venter. This black ventral band quite encompasses the spinnerets, 

 which are of a light color, and also the epigynum. The latter organ (Fig. 9b) appears to 

 be a crescent shaped cup, with the opening toward the front, and without a distinct scapus. 

 In the figure, however, upon the plate the artist has represented a short scapus, widening 

 into a spoon shaped atriolum. 



DISTRIBUTION: Crescent City, Florida. (Marx Collection.) 



GENUS ARGIOPE, SAVIGNY AND AUDOUIN, 1825. 



Argiope is distinguished by a cephalothorax which is flattened upon the summit of 

 the corselet, giving this organ a comparatively low and weak appearance. The caput also 

 is flattened along the entire length, and placed upon, or very nearly upon, a level with the 



1 Thorell, " On European Spiders," page 59. 



