H 



SCIENCE- G OS SIP. 



AN INTRODUCTION TO BRITISH SPIDERS. 



By Frank Percy Smith. 



{Continued from Vol. VI. page 361.') 



GENUS CHIRACANTHIUM C. KOCH. 



The spiders In this genus may be distinguished 

 from those of Clubiona by the greater length of the 

 legs. Their relative length is also different, for 

 whereas in Clubiona the fourth pair is the longest, 

 in Chiracanthium the longest is the first pair. 



Chiracanthium carnifex C. Koch. 



Length. Male 8.4 mm., female 9 mm. 



Abdomen of a dull yellowish-green shade, with a 

 dark red band along its upper side. This is a very 

 pretty spider, and appears to be generally distributed. 



Chiracanthium erraticum Wlk.' {Clubiona 

 erratica Bl.) 



This spider is very similar to the last, but may be 

 distinguished from it by the form of the radial 

 apophysis, which in this species ends in a simple 

 point, whereas in C. carnifex C. Koch it is dis- 

 tinctly notched. This species is not very common. 



Chiracanthium pennyi Cambr. 



This is a rare spider, and can only be satisfactorily 

 distinguished from the preceding by the form of the 

 digital joint. 



Chiracanthium lapidicolens Sim. (C. nutrix 

 Westr. and " Spiders of Dorset.") 



Length. Male 8.5 mm., female 9 mm. 



Cephalo-thorax devoid of markings. Abdomen 

 similar to C. carnifex C. Koch, but the central band 

 is restricted to its fore part. This spider is not 

 common. 



GENUS ANYPHAENA SUND. 



The spiders of this genus may be distinguished from 

 Clubiona by their possessing a curious transverse 

 fold in the integument of the under side of the ab- 

 domen, also by the first leg being the longest. 



Anyphaena accentuata Wlk. {Clubiona 

 accentuata Bl.) 



Length. Male 6 mm., female 6.5 mm. 



Cephalo-thorax light brown with a black band on 

 each side. Legs light brown spotted with black. 

 Abdomen brownish-yellow marked with black. This 

 is a rather common spider, and seems to be generally 

 distributed. 



GENUS AGROECA WESTR. 



In this genus the eyes are disposed in two rows, of 

 which the anterior is the shorter and less curved. 

 The clypeus is very narrow. The fourth leg is the 

 longest. 



(1) This series of articles on British Spiders commenced in 

 Science-Gossip, No. 67, December 1899. 



Agroeea brunnea Bl. {Agelena brunnea Bl.) 



Length. Male 6.5 mm., female 8 mm. 



Cephalo-thorax reddish-brown with some black 



lateral markings. Legs dull yellow. Abdomen 



bright yellowish-brown, with a blackish band along 



its fore part followed by a series of angular markings. 



Agroeea proxima Cambr. 



Length. Male 5 mm., female 6 mm. 



This spider is similar to the last, but the markings 

 are less distinct. The radial apophysis of the male is 

 also shorter. 



Agroeea gracilipes Bl. {Agelena gracilipes 

 Bl. ; Liocramim gracilipes in " Spiders of Dorset.") 



Length. Male 3 mm., female 3.5 mm. 



Cephalo-thorax reddish-yellow, with a black mar- 

 ginal marking. Legs reddish-yellow, with some of 

 the joints of a dark brown colour. Abdomen yellow, 

 darker in front and with some dark brown markings 

 on the hinder part. This spider is not common. 



Agroeea celer Cambr.. {Liocramim celer in 

 " Spiders of Dorset.") 



This rare spider is similar to the last, but may be 

 distinguished by the greater distance between the 

 lateral eyes. 



Agroeea eelans Bl. {Agelena celans Bl. ; 

 Liocramim celans in " Spiders of Dorset.") 



Length. Male 4 mm., female 4.5 mm. 



Cephalo-thorax dark brown with yellow margins, 

 and a central marking of the same colour. Legs 

 reddish- or yellowish-brown. Abdomen brown with 

 some yellow markings, which are brightest towards 

 the spinners. This spider is rather rare. 



Agroeea inopina Cambr. Somewhat similar 

 to A. brimnea Bl. and A. proxima Cambr. It may 

 be distinguished by its smaller size and by the legs 

 being more or less distinctly annulated. Its general 

 colour is not nearly so bright as in these two species. 

 Very rare and local. 



GENUS LIOCRANUM L. KOCH. 



In this genus the eyes are arranged in two curved 

 rows, the distance between the individual eyes being 

 not very great. The convexity of the curve is 

 directed backwards. The legs are very long, their 

 relative length being 4, 1, 2, 3. 



Liocranum domesticum Wid. {Clubiona 

 domestica Bl. ) 



Length. Male 6. 5 mm. , female 8. 5 mm, 

 Cephalo-thorax yellow with four brownish-black 



