THE SPIDER GENERA STEMMOPS, CHROSIOTHES , 
AND THE NEW GENUS CABELLO FROM AMERICA 
By Herbert W. Levi 
Museum of Comparative Zoology, Harvard University 
While examining types of theridiid spiders in European museums, 
I discovered that the genus Theridiotis Levi, 1954, is a synonym of 
Chrosiothes Simon. In the meantime, additional species have been 
found of Chrosiothes, and also of Stemmops, revised in 1955. In 
addition, in Simon’s large collections from Venezuela, a theridiid 
spider was found that could not be placed in any known genus. 
A National Science Foundation Grant (G-4317) made possible 
a trip to examine types. I am grateful also for the hospitality of Prof. 
M. Vachon of the Museum National d’Histoire Naturelle, Paris; 
and Dr. G. Owen Evans, Mr. E. Browning and Mr. K. Hyatt of 
the British Museum (Natural History) in London. Without the 
unfailing help in the loan of specimens of Prof. Vachon, Dr. W. J. 
Gertsch of the American Museum of Natural History (AMNH), 
Dr. R. V. Chamberlin of the University of Utah (UU), and Mrs. 
D. Frizzell (Dr. H. Exline) of Rolla, Missouri, this paper would not 
have been possible. I would like to thank Fr. Chrysanthus who gave 
advice on Latin specific names. A National Institutes of Health 
Grant (AI-01944) facilitated completion of the paper. 
Stemmops O. P.-Cambridge 
Stemmops O. P.-Cambridge, 1894 (January), Biologia Centrali-Americana, 
Araneidea, 1 : 125. Type species by monotypy S. bicolor O. P.-Cambridge. 
The name Stemmops, according to Bonnet (1958, Bibliographia Arane- 
orum, 2: 4150), is of masculine gender. 
Description. Eyes very large, close together, usually in a black 
area. Legs very strong and short. Fourth leg sometimes longer than 
first, fourth patella and tibia 1.5 to 1.6 times carapace length. Abdo- 
men longer than wide; dorsoventrally flattened. Colulus replaced by 
two short setae. Abdomen usually with a light spot above spinnerets. 
Diagnosis. Separated from other genera that bear two colulus 
setae by relatively large eyes, close together, and short stout legs. 
Stemmops is similar to the African Coscinida and differs only by 
having colulus setae. It is probable that Coscinida Simon, 1894, a 
name several months younger than Stemmops , has to be synonymized 
after more species have been examined (Levi and Levi, 1962). 
Distribution. Stemmops is known only from America. Most 
73 
