AMERICAN SPIDER GENERA THE RID ULA AND 
PA RA T IIE RID ULA (ARANEAE: THERIDIIDAE) 1 
By Herbert W. Levi 
Museum of Comparative Zoology 
Since my revision (1954) of the genus Theridula in North Amer- 
ica, no additional species have been found. In the meanwhile, how- 
ever, I have been able to examine the types of South American species 
(except that of Theridula polita , which appears to be lost). Addi- 
tional records of Paratheridula perniciosa have been obtained since 
I described the genus (1957), but no additional species. That Para- 
theridula perniciosa is a pantropical species is suggested not only by 
its wide distribution in the Americas, but also by the absence of 
related species. Its small size, inconspicuous appearance, and the fact 
that its epigynum is always covered by a secretion (which has to be 
removed to examine it), suggest that it may have been overlooked 
in collections. 
I would like to thank Dr. G. Owen Evans and his staff at the 
British Museum (Natural History) for making the Keyserling types 
available for study. A National Science Foundation grant (G-4317) 
permitted initial examination of theridiid types in European museums. 
The further researches were supported in part by Public Health 
Service Research Grant AI-01944 from the National Institute of 
Allergy and Infectious Diseases. 
Misplaced species: Theridula polita Mello-Leitao, 1947, Papeis 
Avulsos, Dept. Zool., Sao Paulo, 8(11): 127, fig. 1, 9 - Female 
holotype from Santa Cruz, Est. Parana, Brazil, apparently lost, is 
probably a Dipoena judging by coloration, shape, and proportions of 
the species. The black stripe on the legs and the illustration of the 
epigynum suggest that it is D. militaris Chickering. The holotype of 
Theridula polita is not in the Mello-Leitao collection in Rio de 
Janeiro nor in Sao Paulo. Some Mello-Leitao types are alleged to 
be in the Museum Paranaense, but according to Mr. P. de Biasi it 
is not there either. The illustration of Mello-Leitao has been copied 
(Fig. 6). 
Theridula Emerton 
Theridula Emerton, 1882, Trans- Connecticut Acad. Sci. 6:25. Type species 
Theridion sphaerula Hentz, 1850 D=T. opulenta ( Walckenaer) ], how- 
ever Emerton misidentified the specimens which he examined; they 
belong to T. emertoni. 
1 Manuscript recived by the editor May 11, 1966 
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