This spider bears a close resemblance to Ciniflo atrox, but it is larger and darker-coloured
than that species, from which it differs also in having an obscure, longitudinal band, of a dull-
yellowish colour, extending from the anterior part of the upper side of the abdomen towards
its middle; this band is encompassed by an irregular, black line, which is broadest at its posterior
extremity, and is bordered laterally and posteriorly with pale-yellow; the sides and under
part are sometimes marked with minute, whitish spots, those on the latter forming four longitudinal
row’s ; and the sexual organs are smaller proportionally and less conspicuous than
those of Ciniflo atrox. The inferior tarsal daw is provided with a fine, curved tooth on each
side, near its base.
The male is smaller than the female, the cephalic region is paler, and the legs are not
only longer and slenderer, but their relative length is different, the second pair surpassing
the fourth. The palpi and palpal organs are similar in structure to those of the male of
Ciniflo atrox, but the apophysis connected with the radial joint in front, towards the inner side,
is much more slender* curved, and pointed; and the small, curved process near the middle of
the palpal organs, which are darker coloured and proportionally less developed, is not so contiguous
to the large, protuberant part, which is situated nearer to the inner side and is more
prominent at Sts extremity. Notwithstanding the superior size of this spider, it is very
commonly confounded with Ciniflo atrox, to which it makes a near approximation in form,
colour, and economy; both species are found in the same localities, and are abundantly
distributed throughout the kingdom.
C i n i f l o f e r o x . PI. IX, fig. 90.
Clubiona ferox, Walck., Hist. Nat. des Insect. Apt.,, tom. i, p. 606.
Amourobius ferox, Koch, Die Araclm., Band vi, p. 41, tab. 191, figs. 460, 461.
Length of the female, ^ths of an inch ; length of the cephalo-thorax, Jth, breadth, ÿth ;
breadth of the abdomen, &ths ; length of an anterior leg, §rds ; length of a leg of the third
pair,
The eyes are pellucid, and are disposed on the anterior part of the cephalo-thorax in two
transverse rows, the anterior row being situated immediately above the frontal margin ; the
four intermediate eyes form a traperzoid whose anterior side is the shortest, and those of each
lateral pair, which are the largest, are seated obliquely on a tubercle. The cephalo-thorax is
large, convex, glossy, compressed before, rounded on the sides, which are marked with furrows
converging towards an indentation in the medial line, and somewhat depressed and rounded
in front ; it is sparingly clothed with fine hairs, and of a yellowish-brown colour, the anterior
part and the lateral furrows being much the darkest. The falces are powerful, conical,
vertical, convex in front, near the base, armed with teeth on the inner surface, and have a
brown-black hue. The maxillae are enlarged and rounded at the extremity, and slightly
inclined towards the lip, which is longer than broad, dilated about the middle, and truncated
at the apex. These organs are of a reddish-brown colour, the lip being the darkest. The
sternum is heart-shaped, thinly clothed with long, black hairs, glossy, and of a pale, yellowish-
brown colour. The legs are robust, provided with hairs and sessile spines, and have a
yellowish-brown hue, with obscure, soot-coloured annuli; the coxae and femora are much the
palest, and the metatarsi and tarsi are sometimes tinged with red; each tarsus is terminated
by three claws; the two superior ones are curved and pectinated, and the inferior one is
inflected near its base, on each side of which there is a fine tooth. The palpi resemble the legs
in colour, but are without annuli, and the digital joint, which is the darkest, has a curved,
pectinated claw at its extremity. The abdomen is oviform, hairy, convex above, and projects
over the base of the cephalo-thorax; it is of a brownish-black colour, freckled with yellowish-
white ; three large, yellowish-white bands extend from the anterior extremity of the upper
part more than a third of its length; the intermediate one terminates in a point, and the
lateral ones are enlarged and curved inwards at the extremity; these bands are succeeded bv
a series of four oblique, yellowish-white spots on each side of the medial line; they are
disposed in pairs, and diminish in size as they approach the spinners, which have a brown hue,
with yellowish-white extremities; on the under part there are four longitudinal, yellowish-
white lines; the two intermediate ones, which are composed of confluent spots, are the least
conspicuous, and near to .each other; the sexual organs are well developed, and of a very
dark, reddish-brown colour, that of the branchial opercula being yellowish-white.
The male,-though somewhat smaller than the female, resembles her in the design formed
by the distribution of its colours, and in the relative length of its legs, but their absolute length
is greater. Its palpi have a pale, brownish:yelIow hue, the digital joint being the darkest; the
cubital and radial joints are short, and the latter, which is the larger, and bifid at its extremity,
underneath, lias two conspicuous apophyses in front; one, situated towards the outer.side,
is straight, and has its extremity somewhat enlarged, and prominent at the outer side; the
other, situated towards the inner side, is large, and terminates in a short, slightly curved
point; underneath it has a prominent, semicircular, dark, red-brown margin, the inner side of
which is notched or emarginated; the digital joint is somewhat oval, with a prominent lobe on
the outer side, and a protuberance at its base; it is convex and hairy .externally, -concave
within, comprising the palpal organs, which are highly developed, complicated in structure,
very protuberant and convex at the base and outer side, and terminate in two curved processes,
one of which, more curved, pointed, and prominent than the other, has its extremity
in contact with some delicate, white membrane; near the middle there is a short, curved,
protuberant process, which has a prominence at its base, both on the outer and inner -side ;
the colour of these organs is red-brown and yellowisli-white intermixed, the outer side of the
convex, protuberant part being almost white.
This species varies greatly in colour, some individuals-being much darker than others.
The Rev. O. P. Cambridge has found Ciniflo fero x abundant in Portland, under stones
and fragments of rock; and Mr. R. H.Meade has .taken it in Buckinghamshire,.and inmellars
and neglected buildings in Bradford.