1880.J 



OF THE GENUS ARGYRODES. 323 



The abdomen h^s its upperside drawn out or elevated into a lone 

 tapering or cornea) form, and very slightly curved, the apex bein^ 

 subacute. It is of a yellow-brownish hue, the underside suffused 

 with black-brown ; a dark, central, blackish stripe tapering to a 

 line occupies the upperside, and ends in a short transverse spot or 

 bio ch close to the apex ■ on each side of this central stripe is a more 

 or less broad and tolerably even-edged, silvery longitudinal band ; 

 and in some examples there are irregular traces of silvery markings 

 on the sides of the abdomen. " 



It is probable that the darker portions of the abdomen will be 

 found in well-preserved examples to be of a deeper hue than that 

 here mentioned, all the examples I have examined having a some- 

 what faded appearance in the abdomen. 



Examples of this very distinct species were contained in Professor 

 Irailis Amazons collection. 



It is possible that this may be the male of Argyrodes lugens, 

 Cambr., inasmuch as all the examples of that Spider were females 

 and all of the present are males, and all were mixed together in the 

 collection. Ihere is, however, no such similarity of form, either in 

 the abdomen or Its pattern, as would lead one to conclude without 

 great doubt that both belong to one species. I have therefore thought 

 Jt best to describe them at present as distinct from each other, leavhig 

 It to future observations to decide whether they be identical or not 

 Argyrodes samoensis, sp. n. (Plate XXVIII. fig. 3,) 

 Adult male, length i of an inch ; female rather larger. 

 n,J/-q'-^^- fV ""''^ "r^'^^ '"^''^ to Argyrodes epeircB, Sim., but is 

 a^ L'r^rlTf ^^^' '"^ - ''- P--" - ^^^ ^^^-- 

 In the present Spider the two lobes of the caput are equally robu.t 

 and are shorter than in ^. epeir^; the extremity of the^nteririobe 

 IS rather enlarged and very obtuse, clothed (as in other species) with 

 hairs directed backwards and meeting those directed forwards ^m 

 the posterior lobe over the cleft between the two ; the cleft in th^ 

 present species is broader, but less deep, than in A. epeirc. A co.i> 

 panson, however, of fig. 3 (Plate XXVIII.) with the figure given of 

 Aepe^rce (fig 3 a, Plate XXVIII.) will show at once these stmc ura 

 differences between the two species. 'uuiuidi 



The colour of the cephalothorax and legs is yellow-brown ; and the 



r^edS- TlVT',^''' "\''r'''"» '^''' '^' dfgita] joints are of a de p 

 reddish black-brown hue. <= j ' ^ ueep 



larlVfn^r' "^'''' PiP^ T"^ P'^P^^ ^'■S'''"^ ^'^^r^ ^« ^ Strong simi- 

 laiity to A. epezra^nud others, though the structures of the palpal 

 organs, when examined carefully, show some differences. ^ ^ 



Ihe legs (relative length 1, 2, 4, 3)-first two pairs Ion., and 

 slender, but not excessively so, and clothed with fine hairs on";. 



lhe/«/ce5 similar in colour to the cephalothorax, are rather 



shorter than those of yl. ejoeeVf?. "^^ dre ramer 



The «J,«?o,«e« is less elevated than in that species, and the profile- 



iine of the upperside is more strongly and regularly curved. It 



