312 
Psyche 
[June 
In his 1932 work, Hingston described 27 new species from eight 
different genera collected during an expedition to Guyana in 1929. 
Hingston left no type material for his new species and his descrip- 
tions were very general, lacking diagnostic characters (Levi, 1963, 
p. 493). Nevertheless, Hingston included descriptions and detailed 
sketches of the webs of his new species, which may help to validate 
some of his names, in some instances. Lehtinen (1967, p. 201) con- 
sidered that the only way to treat the species described by this author 
would be to propose all of them as “nomina dubia.” I am convinced 
that the specimens which I have collected belong to one species de- 
scribed by Hingston as E. tubulofaciens. I base my assertion mainly 
on the unique abdominal and leg coloration patterns, and the remark- 
able architecture of the retreat and the catching web, which matches 
Hingston’s descriptions. Although there is the possibility of sibling 
species, I have decided for the sake of stability in nomenclature to 
retain Hingston’s name. 
Description. Carapace, chelicerae (except claws), pedipalps, and 
dorsal surface of legs brownish yellow, with the two posterior legs 
a darker brown. Inner margin of endites white. Sternum and labium 
reddish brown. Carapace covered with fine-pointed bristles which 
become longer toward the anterior margin. Carapace with a well- 
defined cephalic suture. Ventral coloration of the two first legs is 
reddish orange but this pigmentation washed away after preserving 
the specimens in alcohol. Abdomen is longer than wide and slightly 
wider in its anterior half. Dorsum of abdomen with a broad, white 
H-shaped mark over black background, positioned transversely on 
the anterior half. Near its middle, the posterior bar of the H mark 
has an additional smaller triangular white mark pointing anteriorly 
and two dorsal black sclerites. On its posterior third, latero-ventrally, 
two elongated white marks occur, one on each side of the abdomen. 
Venter with a light colored epigastrium and colulus. Anterior median 
eyes are largest and closely positioned, 0.7 diameter apart. Posterior 
medians one diameter apart. Laterals closely set on a common raised 
black-pigmented carapace projection. Total length 4.9 mm. Cara- 
pace 2.6 mm long, 2.3 mm wide. First femur, 2.1 mm; patella and 
tibia, 2.0 mm; metatarsus, 1.1 mm; tarsus, 0.9 mm. Second patella 
and tibia, 1.9 mm; third, 1.3 mm; fourth, 1.7 mm. 
Diagnosis. Spilasma males are not known. Females of S. tubulo- 
faciens have distinct body coloration and web construction, different 
from the only other South American species: S. tridecim guttata 
Simon 1896 from the Amazonas and S. artifex Simon 1896 from 
San Esteban, Venezuela. A third species, S. africana Simon 1903, 
