270 



1789. Aranea formicina Oliv., Encycl. Meth., IV, p. 226. 

 1802. „ rhomboica Walck., Faune Par., II, p. 228. 

 ?1804. „ testacea Panz. , Syst. Nomencl., p. 65. (Schjeff., Ic. Ins. 



Eatisb., I, Tab. XL VII, fig. vni). 

 1805. Thomisus rhomboicus Walck., Tabl. d. Aran., p. 38. 

 1825. „ rhomriferens id., Faune Franc., Arachn., p. 95. 

 ?1827. „ FABRlcn Sav. et Arm, Descr. de l'Egypte (2« Ed.:) XXII, 



p. 392, PI. 6, fig. 3. 

 1831. „ RHOMBOICUS Hahn, Die Arachn., I, p. Ill, Tab. XXVLn, 



fig. 83. 



1837. THANATUS FORMICINUS C. Koch, Uebers. d. Arachn.-Syst. , 1, p. 28. 



In Pkilodr. Albini Say. et Aud. which Walckenaer 2 ) classes 

 under his Phil, rhombif 'evens , the palpal clava presents an appear- 

 ance too different to allow of my placing that species among the 

 synonyms of Clerck's Aran, formicinus. 



Under the names of Philodr. formicinus, rhomboicus etc. two 

 very closely related species have been confounded, and it seems 

 hardly possible accurately to divide the above given synonyms between 

 them. In that, which appears to be the most common in Sweden, 

 and which therefore is entitled to retain the specific name formicinus 

 (Clerck) , the upper part of the abdomen, with exception of the lancet- 

 like black spot enclosed in a paler line, and a row of more or less 

 indistinct black spots on each side, behind this spot (sometimes com- 

 bining into transverse angular marks), is of a uniform brownish or 

 reddish grey colour; the cephalothorax is dark brown with narrow 

 borders of a paler hue and a broad pale central band, which on the 

 pars cephalica is trisected by two dark parallel stripes; sometimes 

 it displays a dark V-formed spot on the pars thoracica. The ti- 

 bial joint of the palpus in c? is somewhat drawn out forwards on 

 the outer side, where it runs out into a forward directed, gradu- 

 ally tapering, regidarly pointed, rather short spine. The vulva (in 

 dried specimens) appears as a long, narrow, nearly 8-formed area, 

 bounded by two broad elevations or ridges. — In the other species, 

 which may be called Th. arenarius (under which name I have re- 

 ceived it from L. Koch, who first pointed out to me its property as a 

 separate species), the upper side of the abdomen has on both sides, 

 behind the lancet-like spot (which is similar to that of Ph. for- 

 micinus), two blackish, sinuous lines converging towards the anus 

 and sometimes resolved into spots: the area included by these lines 



1) Loc. cit., p. 392, PL 6, fig. 4. 2) H. N. d. Ins. Apt., I, p. 559. 



