SPIDERS 



ARACHNIDA 



Spiders 



The county of Devon should, owing to its warm climate and humid atmospheric conditions, be 

 very suitable for the support of spider-life. There is, moreover, no doubt that this is indeed the case, 

 although owing to lack of collectors the actual number of species placed on record is comparatively 

 insignificant. 



Amongst those who have contributed to the following list are the late Rev. Hamlet Clark, 

 Mr. G. C. Bignell of Stonehouse, Plymouth, the Rev. T. R. R, Stebbing of Tunbridge Wells, the 

 Rev. O. Pickard-Cambridge, and the present author. 



Of the species of spiders (over 500) regarded as indigenous to Great Britain and Ireland, 114 

 only have been recorded from this county, seven species of pseudo-scorpions, and two harvestmen. 



Among the rarer species may be noted Atypus affinis, Dysdera crocota, Philodromus fallax, Diaea 

 devoniensis, Oxyptila sanctuaria, Euophrys petrensis, Lycosa trahalis, Meta Menardi, Aranem angulatus, 

 Araneus marmortus, Tmeticus reprobus, Leptorhoptrum huthwaitii, Steatoda riparium, Asagena phalerata, 

 Teutana nobilis and Dictyna variabilis. 



ARANEAE^ 



MYGALOMORPHAE 

 ATYPIDAE 



Spiders with eight eyes, four lung books, and three 

 tarsal claws. 



I . Atypus affinis, Eichwald 



Cleanbrook, Plymouth (G. C. B.). Adult in May, 

 June, and October. 



This is the only example of the Mygalomorphae found 

 in the British Islands. Though belonging to the same 

 sub-order as the well-known trap-door spiders of the 

 south of Europe and other tropical and sub-tropical 

 regions, distinguished from the Arachnomorphae by the 

 possession of two pairs of pulmonary organs, or lung 

 books, and by the vertical movement of the mandibles, 

 these spiders make no trap-door at all. 



The retreat consists of a long tunnel, half an inch 

 in diameter and from seven to nine inches long, bur- 

 rowed in the soil, and lined throughout with white 

 silk, terminating at the lower end in a slightly enlarged 

 cell, where the egg-sac is formed and the young are 

 hatched and tended by the female. The upper end 

 of the silk lining is prolonged for about three inches 



beyond the extremity of the burrow, forming a loose 

 tube, closed at the end, and either lying on the surface 

 of the soil, woven amongst the roots of heather and 

 herbage, or hanging down free, according to the nature 

 of the surroundings. 



Mr. Enock reports that the spider does not leave 

 this retreat in search of prey, but waits in the slack 

 portion of the tube lying outside the burrow until 

 some insect sets foot upon this silken, purse-like struc- 

 ture. Instantly the fangs of the spider's mandibles are 

 struck through the walls of the tube, the insect seized 

 and dropped into the burrow through a rent in the 

 silk, which is afterwards mended from within. The 

 male is smaller, almost black, and may sometimes be 

 found moving slowly about in the sunshine in the 

 neighbourhood of the colony. The species occurs all 

 along the coast from Hastings to the Land's End, and 

 in various localities inland. The spider has also been 

 recorded under the names A. sulzeri and A. piceus by 

 English authors. 



DYSDERIDAE 



The palpal bulb of the male has no cross-piece at the 

 apex. The spider is also known as D. erythrina, 

 Blackwall. 



4. Harpactes Aomiergii, Scopoli. 



Langstone ; Mount Batten ; Plymouth (G. C. B.). 

 Rare under bark of trees, and recognizable by its 

 linear ant-like form, black carapace, and pale clay-yellow 

 abdomen and three tarsal claws. 



Spiders with six eyes and two pairs of stigmatic 

 openings, situated close together on the genital rima, 

 the anterior pair communicating with lung books, the 

 posterior with tracheal tubes. Tarsal claws, two in 

 Dysdera, three in Harpactes and Segestria. 



2. Dysdera crocota, C. L. Koch. 



Salcombe (T. R. R. S.). 

 Larger than the last species, with a deep orange- 

 pink carapace, orange legs and abdomen with a deli- 

 cate rosy-pink flush. The palpal bulb of the male has 

 a cross-piece at the apex. This spider is known also 

 as D. rubicunda, Blackwall. 



3. Dysdera cambridgii, Thorell. 



Stonehouse (G. C. B.). 



Not uncommon under stones and bark of trees, 



where it lurks within a tubular retreat. The spider 



is easily recognizable by its elongate form, orange legs, 



dark mahogany carapace and pale clay-yellow abdomen. 



' This list has been revised and corrected by the Rev. O. Pickard-Cambridge, M.A., F.R.S 



245 



5. Segestria senoeulata, Linnaeus. 

 Stonehouse ; Horrabridge (G. C. B.). 



Not common ; under bark of trees, in the crevices 

 of loose stones walls and amongst detached rocks. 

 Recognizable by its linear form and the black diamond- 

 shaped blotches on the dorsal surface of the abdomen. 



6. Segestria forentina, Rossi. 

 Plymouth (Dr. Leach ; O. P.-C). 



Known also as Segestria perfida, Walckenaer. A very 

 rare species indeed. 



