CLASSIFICATION 



449 



Phalangodes. Theyall avoid the light.and are usually found in caves. 

 Simon ^ records six species found in France. A North American 

 species, P. annata, is entirely destitute of eyes. 



The family has representatives in Australia 

 and in tropical Africa and Asia. Mermerus, 

 Upidanus, Maracaudiis, and Sitalces are some of 

 the exotic genera. 



The other two families of this Sub -order — 

 Fam. 2, Cosmetidae ; Fam. 3, Gonyleptidae — 

 include a large number of species, some of con- 

 siderable size (up to an inch in length of body), 

 found in Central and South America. 



Sub-Order 3. Plagiostethi.^ 



(falpatoees.) 



Fia. m.— Phalan- 

 godes terricola, 

 enlarged. (After 

 Simon. ) 



First ahdomincd segment produced fonoard 

 ventrally to the level of the first pair of legs, 

 bringing the mouth and the genital opening very near together. 

 Sternum consequently much reduced. Pedipalpi thin, ivith 

 termincd clem absent or rudimentary. Terminal claios of the 

 legs single. 



The Plagiostethi include most of the Harvestmen of temperate 

 regions, the most familiar examples of these creatures belong- 

 ing to the large family Phalaugidae, and being much more in 

 evidence than the slow -moving and ground-living forms in- 

 cluded in the other families. 



Fam. 1. Phalangiidae. — Eye-turret always far re^noved from 

 anterior border of cephalothorax. Second iniir of legs witli well- 

 marked maxillary lobes. Legs similar, without the false joint 

 called " trochantin." Mtdtiarticulate tarsi. Simple pedipalpi, 

 with tarsus much longer than tibia, and possessing termincd 

 daw. Some have soft, some coriaceous integuments. 



The Phalangidae fall naturally into two groups or sub-families, 

 named by Simon Sclbrosomatinae and Phalangunae. The 

 first group consists of more or less coriaceous forms living among 

 moss and herbage. They are not very numerous, there being only 

 about twelve known European species divided among the three 

 genera, Sclerosoma, Mastohunus, and Astrobunvs'. 



' Arachnides de France, vii,, 1879. ■■' Transverse sternum (7rXtt7.os = transverse). 

 VOL. IV -^ ^ 



