Linyphia cauta. PI. XV, fig. 145.
lAnyphia cauta, Blacks., Linn. Trans., vol. xviii, p. 655.
— Blackw., Annals and Mag. of Nat. Hist., second series, vol. is,
p. 15.
— -• . Walck., Hist. Nat. .des Insect. Apt., tom. iv, p. 499.
Length of the female, ^ths of an inch; length of the cephalo-thorax, ath, breadth, Tl5th ;
breadth of the abdomen, ^th; length of an anterior leg, -njths; length of a leg of the third
pair, 1th.
The:,eyes are seated on black spots; the four intermediate ones form a trapezoid whose
anterior side is the shortest, and those of each lateral pair are placed obliquely on a tubercle
and are almost "contiguous; the posterior eyes of the trapezoid are much the largest, and the
anterior ones, which are seated on a protuberance, are the smallest of the eio-ht. The
cephalo-thorax is convex, glossy, compressed before, rounded oh the sides, with a large
indentation in the medial line, and some long hairs on the Anterior part, directed forwards;
it is of a yellowish-hrown colour, with black margins, and a band of the same hue; whose
anterior extremity is greatly enlarged, extending along the middle. The falces are powerful,
conical, armed with teeth on the inner surface, and inclined towards the sternum, which is
heart-shaped, glossy,-and sparingly clothed with long, erect hairs. The maxillse are strong,
straight, somewhat quadrate, having the exterior angle, at the extremity, curvilinear, and are
very convex underneath. The lip is semicircular and prominent at the apex. The falces
and maxillae are of a brown colour faintly tinged with red, and the sternum and lip have a
brownish-black hue, the latter being paler at the tip. The legs are long, provided with
hairs and fine, erect spines, and have a yellowish-brown tint, with brownish-black annuli;
each tarsus is terminated by three claws; the two superior ones are curved and pectinated,
and the inferior one is inflected near its base. The palpi resemble the legs in colour, and
have a slightly curved and minutely dentated claw at their extremity. The abdomen is
oviform, glossy, thinly clothed with hairs, very convex above, projecting over the base of the
cephalo-thorax ; it is of a yellowish-brown hue, freckled with small, whitish spots, which are
fewer and more minute on the under part ; some large, brownish-black blotches occur near
the anterior extremity of the upper part, and between them and the spinners there are
numerous transverse, curved lines of the same hue, whose convexities are directed forwards;
the sides have a brownish-black tint, with an irregular, longitudinal, yellowish-brown band,
spotted with white, extending along the middle ; the spinners have a brown hue, and at the
base of the inferior pair there are three confluent, yellow spots; a small, cylindrical, semitransparent
process is connected with the anterior part of the sexual organs, within the
external orifice; and the colour of the branchial opercula is pale-yellow.
The male differs from the female in the following particulars; it is rather smaller,
darker coloured, and the anterior part o f its cephalo-thorax, where the eyes are seated, is
more elevated. The cubital and radial joints of its palpi are short; the former has a long
bristle projecting from its extremity, in front, and the latter, which is the larger, is of an
oval form, greatly elongated before, and overlaps the base of the digital joint; this joint is
somewhat oval, with a bold, pointed process at its base, on the inner side, and a prominent
lobe on the outer sid e ; it is convex and hairy externally, concave within, comprising the
palpal organs, which are depressed, very, highly developed, and remarkably complicated in
structure, having a strong, curved, corneous process .at their base, on the outer side, which
has an obtuse protuberance on its upper part, and a pair of exceedingly long, filiform, black
spines, of unequal thickness, enveloped in a transparent membrane, and curved into a circle
measuring about ^th of an inch in diameter; these organs are of a red-brown colour.
Angles of walls, overhanging banks, and depressions in the trunks of large trees are
the situations in which lAnyphia cauta fabricates its .extensive snare. Though rarely seen,
in consequence of the habit of remaining in its retreat during the day, yet it is rather abundant
in many parts of England, Wales, and Ireland.
The lAnyphia thoradca of M. Wider (‘ Museum Senckenbergianum,’ B. i, p. 261, taf. 17,
fig. 10) appears to be nearly allied to this species, but it is difficult to determine whether
they are identical or not, as no description or figure is given of the male.
Linyphia vivax. PI. XYI, fig. 146.
lAnyphia vivax, Blaekw., Linn. Trans, vol. xviii, p. 657.
__ _ _ Iilackw., Annals and Mag. of Nat. Hist., second series, vol. ix,
p. 15.
__ __ Walck., Hist. Nat. des Insect. Apt., tom. iv, p. 499.
Length of the female, hths of an inch ; length of the cephalo-thorax, ^th, breadth, d,th ;
breadth of the abdomen, Ath; length of an anterior leg, 1 ; length of a leg of the third
pair, jrd.
The cephalo-thorax is oval, convex, glossy, with a large indentation in the medial line,
and is of a yellowish-brown colour, with an irregular, longitudinal, blackish band on each side,
and a finer one of the same hue, which is bifid before, extending along the middle. The eyes
are seated on black spots ; the four intermediate ones form a trapezoid whose anterior side is
the shortest, and those of each lateral pair are placed obliquely on a tubercle and are contiguous
; the posterior eyes of the trapezoid are the largest, and the anterior ones the
smallest of the eight. The falces, which have a reddish-brown tint, are powerful, conical,
armed with teeth on the inner surface, and slightly inclined towards the sternum, which is
heart-shaped, with long, erect, black hairs, and is of a dark-brown hue. The maxillse are
short, strong, straight, convex underneath, somewhat quadrate, and resemble the falces in
colour. The lip is semicircular and prominent at the apex, which is of a reddish-brown hue,
the base being blackish. The legs are long, slender, provided with hairs and numerous
erect spines, and of a reddish-brown colour, with brownish-black annuli; each thrsus is
terminated by three claws; the two superior ones are curved and pectinated, and the inferior