110 DR. J. E. T. AITCHISON ON THE ZOOLOGY OF 



ABACHNIDA, CHIL0P0DA, and CRUSTACEA. 



By R. I. Pocock, 

 Assistant in the Zoological Department, British Museum. 



So far as it is possible to judge from the small number of specimens of the above- 

 mentioned groups of Arthropoda that were brought home by Dr. Aitchison from the 

 north-western border-land of Afghanistan, the fauna of the localities examined is more 

 nearly related to the fauna of the Mediterranean district of the Palsearctic Region than 

 to that of any other area. It is true that nearly fifty per cent, of the species are new ; 

 but although new, they are allied to species that inhabit the basin of the Mediterranean ; 

 while those that are not new are referable to species that have been recorded from 

 various parts of that district. 



ARACHNIDA. 

 Araneidea. 



1. Argiope lobata (Pallas). 



Argiope lobata, Pallas, Spicil. Zool. i. p. 46, pi. iii. figg. 14, 15; Thorell, Remarks on Synonyms of 

 European Spiders, p. 520. 



A single female specimen between Blari-rud valley and Meshed. 



2. Tarantula medica, sp. n. (Plate XIII. fig. 1 a.) 



Cephalothorax covered with greyish-green pubescence on its upper surface and bordered 

 with a thick line of white hairs ; the posterior half of the upper surface with a median 

 longitudinal white band. Upper surface of the legs wbite ; under surface of tarsus and 

 of metatarsus of all the legs brown ; under surface of the tibia of the anterior two pairs 

 brown, of the posterior two pairs Avhite ; under surface of the femora of the posterior 

 three pairs white ; apex of palpi brown. Under surface of the femora of the first pair of 

 legs white or yellow ; upper surface of the palpi and of the falces and the region of the 

 anterior eyes yellow. Sternum and the under surface of the coxse white. Under 

 surface of abdomen yellowish white ; sides white, with blackish spots. On each side of 

 the median dorsal line there is a series of oblique short white bands ; in the hinder third 

 of the abdomen the posterior end of each of the bands upon one side is connected with 

 the posterior end of the corresponding band upon the other side by a straight white line ; 

 ground-colour of the upper surface of the abdomen greyish green. 



In alcohol, when the pubescence which clothes the cephalothorax and limbs is obscured, 

 the colour of these parts may be described as follows : — 



Cephalothorax castaneous ; falces castaneous or black ; palpi ochraceous, with apical 

 segments darker ; legs castaneous above, ochraceous below, the colour becoming darker 

 upon the distal segments ; sternum and coxse ochraceous ; labium and niaxillse castaneous 

 at the base, ochraceous towards the apex. 



