52 
Psyche 
[March-June 
The genus Taranucnus is represented in Europe by the type-spe- 
cies, T. setosus (O.P.-Cambridge) , which I have collected from sev- 
eral localities in The Netherlands, and by T. bihari Fage, a troglo- 
biontic species from Rumania, which I do not know. A diagnosis of 
the genus, as based on setosus and \ornithes, reads as follows. 
Small spiders (3.2 mm or less). Cephalothorax not much longer 
than wide. Eyes large, with PME closer to PLE than to each other. 
Chelicerae with stridulating files, dorsal margins with three teeth. 
Legs slender and very long (femur I ca. 2 times length cephalo- 
thorax, tibia I even slightly longer) . Legs spinose, including femora 
and metatarsi. Metatarsus IV without trichobothrium, Tm I 0.15- 
O.25. Abdomen with pattern, composed of blackish bars and areas 
but without white pigmented spots. Male palp with a short tibia, a 
rather flat and broadly rounded cymbium, which has a strongly modi- 
fied proximal part, and with a long, thin embolus; the embolus is 
supported by a well-developed embolic membrane. Epigyne with 
membraneous, coiled ducts leading to small receptacula; no socket or 
semi-covered depression visible for the reception of an apophysis of 
the male palp. 
Both species prefer dark, protected places for a habitat: T. ornithes 
in crevices and cavities, T. setosus under overhanging vegetation (e.g. 
thick layers of heath) at the border of fens. The habitat of T. bihari 
would very well fit into this picture. 
T aranucnus clearly fits into the tribe Linyphieae and seems very 
close to Labulla. 
T aranucnus ornithes and T. setosus j beside their occurrence on dif- 
ferent continents, differ from each other mainly in the genitalia. Also 
ornithes seems to be the smaller species with more slender legs and 
a slightly more proximal Tm I. 
The descriptions of T. ornithes by Barrows and Ivie can be sup- 
plied with the following data. 
Measurements (in mm). Male, total length 2.0-2. 7, length cephalo- 
thorax 1. 05-1. 3, width 0.9-1.05. Female, total length 2. 2-3.0, length 
cephalothorax 1.05- 1.2, width 0.85-1.0. 
Ratio length to width of cephalothorax ca. 0.85, which is high if 
compared with other, related genera (cf. Linyphia 0.65-0.75, Neriene 
°-55~o.75). Eyes large (diameter PME 0.09 mm) and close to- 
gether, the PME one-half diam. apart, and closer to each other than 
to PLE. AME not much smaller than PME. Chelicerae with dis- 
tinct stridulating files; three teeth in dorsal and three in ventral row. 
Legs very long and slender: femur I 2 times as long as cephalo- 
