190 
Psyche 
[June 
more active than thomisids, and exhibit a general “searching” be- 
havior when observed. Long spines on the legs, another field char- 
acteristic of lynx spiders, are apparently used to subdue prey. Much 
remains to be learned about prey capture and other forms of be- 
havior. 
The systematic findings in this work are based largely upon 
morphological studies and distributional data. Ecological and be- 
havioral information has been incorporated where available. Mem- 
bers of the O. acleistus species group and the O. tridens group are 
distinguished as much by their ecology as their morphology. Species 
in the former group are found in areas of moderately luxuriant 
herbaceous vegetation, while species of the latter group have been 
found chiefly in rather dry, rocky areas with relatively scanty veg- 
etation. Color patterns of the two species groups generally reflect 
their surroundings. Species of the O. tridens group are generally 
black and white, fitting well the rather drab, gray backgrounds 
where they occur. Members of the O. acleistus group blend more 
appropriately with their background coloration of green, and are 
often deceptively iridescent in sunlight. Members of the tridens 
group have a more robust fourth pair of legs, presumably fitted for 
saltatory locomotion in a more open habitat. 
Systematic studies, such as this one, often provide a foundation 
for more detailed investigations into the biology of organisms. I 
hope that this paper will not only fill the need for a basic morpho- 
logical revision, but stimulate further investigations of the ecology 
and behavior of Oxyopes. 
ACKNOWLEDGMENTS 
To fully acknowledge help with this paper, I must trace its 
inception back to a study begun in 1963 while I was a student at the 
Museum of Comparative Zoology, Harvard University. The major 
thrust of this early work resulted in the publication of a monograph 
on the Oxyopidae of North America, north of Mexico (Brady, 1964). 
A grant from the Evolutionary Biology Committee, Biological Lab- 
oratories, Harvard University, made possible a three week visit to 
the British Museum (Natural History) in the summer of 1963. 
Here several of the type specimens of Oxyopes of F.O.P. -Cambridge 
were examined and drawn for the first time (Figs. 80-83, 84-87, 
96 , 97 )* 
The initial writing and preparation of this paper for publication 
began in 1973. The types of F.O.P.-Cambridge were examined 
