414 ARACHNIDA — ARANEAE chap. 



Thanatus, extending from tropical to arctic regions, but very 

 sparingly represented in England. Th. siriatus ( = hirsutus) occurs 

 occasionally, and one example of the fine species Th. formicinus 

 has been taken in the New Forest. The members of this genus 

 as a rule affect dry and sandy habitats. 



The genus Tibellus includes few species, but has a wide dis- 

 tribution. The type species T. ohlongus (Fig. 213, D) is found in 

 the temperate regions all over the world, and is common in Eng- 

 land. It is a pale straw-coloured spider with a much elongated 

 abdomen. It closely resembles the stems of dry grass in hue, and 

 when alarmed it remains perfectly still with its legs embracing 

 the stem and its abdomen closely apphed to it. 



(iii.) The Sparassinae ^ include most of the large Latigrade 

 forms, and number about forty genera. 



Heteropoda venatoria is a cosmopolitan species, and though 

 proper to warm countries, is often introduced here on hothouse 

 plants, and has been known to establish itself in the open air in 

 botanical gardens. Our only indigenous member of this sub- 

 family is Micrommata virescens (Fig. 213, A). This striking spider 

 is found, though rarely, in the south of England. The female is 

 half an inch in length and of a vivid green hue, while the more 

 cylindrical abdomen of the male is yellow with three longitudinal 

 scarlet lines. Other genera are S2}arassus, Torania, and Delena. 



(iv.) The Aphantochilinab include two curious genera which 

 are exclusively American. The labium is much reduced and the 

 sternum is shortened, terminating between the third pair of legs. 

 The species of Aphantocliilus are largish, glossy-black spiders, 

 sometimes spotted with white. Some of them mimic ants of the 

 genus Gryptocerus. The other genus is Bucraniuni. 



(v.) The Stephanopsinae include about sixteen genera, of 

 which the best known are Stepihanopsis and Megilhts. There are 

 about fifty species of Stephanopsis, most of them Australian, while 

 the eight species of Eegillus belong to Africa and South Asia. 



The mimetic form Plirynaracline decip)iens has already been 

 alluded to (see p. 374). 



(vi.) The Selenopixae consist of a single genus, Selenops, of 



^ Simon, in his Histoire naturelle des araicjndcs, removes the Siiarassinae and 

 the Selenopinae to the Clubionidae, considering that, notwithstanding the direc- 

 tion of their legs, they have a greater affinity with that group than with the other 

 Thomisidae. 



