SOME SPIDERS FROM NORTHERN LOUISIANA. Two

misnomer. Mr.

Pratt

remarked

that the collectors for

Messrs.

Godman and

Salvin

had no time

to study habits, since they

were

told

simply

^{tocollect as}

much

material as possible.

Mr. Banks

presented the following

paper

^:

SOME SPIDERS FROM NORTHERN LOUISIANA.

By NATHAN BANKS.

During

^the

summer

of 1891 ^I

gathered

^{a small collectionof} spiders

from

the _vicinity of

Shreveport,

^Louisiana.

Although

thereare

few

peculiar orstrange species ⁱⁿ the collection, ^{still it}

is of

some

interest, asso little isat present

known

of the distribu tion of

our

_spiders.

Yet

thereare several

uncommon

species, at least

uncommon

to

one acquainted

chiefly

with more northern

forms.

Such

are the

Prodidomus rufus, Tetragonophthalma dubia, Acartauchcnius texana, and Thargalia aurata. Two

species quite rare in the

North

are

Histiagonia

^rostrata

and Ballus youngi.

About 127

_species are

recorded

in this _list, distributed in

twenty-one

^families.

The

collection is representative of the

southern

Mississippi

Valley

^fauna.

This

differs

from

the

South

Atlantic

fauna

in

having some southwestern

_species.

Seven

species

appear

^to

be nsw and

are here described; a

few

others, principally ⁱⁿ the Lycosidse,

may prove

^to

be new when

the

southern forms

ofthis family are^better

known.

THERAPHOSID^E.

Eurypelma

hentzi Girard.

SCYTODID^:.

Loxosceles _rufipesDuf.

FlLISTATIDyE.

Filistatahibernalis Hentz.

DYSDERID^E.

AriadnebicolorHentz.

Thalamia

_parietalis Hentz.

PHOLCIDyE.

Pholcus phalangoides^Fuess.

Spermophora

meridionalis Hentz.

PRODIDOMIDyK.

Prodidomus

rufus Hentz.

DRASSID^E.

Gnaphosa

^{sericataKoch.}

Drassnsbicolor Htz.

Cesoniabilineata Htz.

Prosthesima_depressa

Em.

ProsthesimaatraHtz.

Megamyrmecion

lepidium n. sp.

CLUBIONID^E.

Clubionaobesa Hentz.

ClubionaabbotiKoch.

Chiracanthium inclusaHentz.

Anyphaena

gracilis Hentz.

Anyphsena

decepta ^n. sp.

Gajenna

parvulan. sp.

Phrurolithusalarius Hentz.

Thargaliaornata Hentz.

Thargalia^{aurata Hentz.}

Thargalia sp.

AGALENID^E.

Agalena ^naeviaHentz.

Tegenaria sp.

DlCTYNIDyE.

Dictyna^sublataHentz.

Neophanes

pallidusMarx.

THERIDIID^E.

Theridium tepidariorum Koch.

Theridium

murarium Em.

Theridium frondeum Hentz.

Theridium albidumBks.

Theridium australisn. sp.

Theridium inornatum n. sp.

Theridula_sphoerula Hentz.

Theridulaquadripunctata Keys.

Steatodaborealis Hentz.

TeutanatriangulosaWalck.

Lithjphantes ^fulvus Keys.

Lathrodectes mactans Koch.

Mysmena

^{bulbifera Bks.}

Histiagonia^rostrata

Em.

Ceratinella micropalpis

Em.

Ceratinellaemertoni

Cambr.

Ceratinella laetabilis

Cambr.

Ceratinopsis ^similis Bks.

Corniculariasp. [near

communis.]

Spiropalpisspiralis

Em.

Lophocarenum

^crenatum

Em.

Erigone autumnalis

Em.

Tmeticus tridentatus

Cambr.

Tmeticus parvus^n. sp.

Acartaucheniustexanan. sp.

Linyphia

communis

Hentz.

Floronia coccinea Hentz.

Bathyphantesanglicanum^Hentz.

Bathyphantes^formica

Em.

MlMETID^E.

Mimetus

interfectorHentz.

EPEIRID^E.

Acrosoma

_rugosaHentz.

Mahadeva

verrucosa Hentz.

Epeira^strix Hentz.

Epeira domiciliorumHentz.

Epeira^trivittataKeys.

Epeira vulgarisHentz.

R.volucripes Keys.

Epeira prompta Hentz.

E.

parvula

Keys.

Epeirabombycinaria Hentz.

Epeira^insularisHentz.

Epeira labyrintheaHentz.

Epeiradisplicata Hentz.

Epeira^foliata Hentz.

Epeira infumata^Hentz.

PlectanastellataHentz.

Abbotia_gibberosaHentz.

Abbotia_placidaHentz.

Cyclosa^{conica Pall.}

ArgioperipariaHentz.

Argiope^transversa

Em.

Argyroepeira hortorum^Hentz.

TETRAGNATHID^E.

TetragnathagrallatorHentz.

Tetragnatha^laboriosa Hentz.

ULOBORID^E.

Uloborus plumipes^Lucas.

THOMISID^E.

Xysticus gulosus Keys.

Xysticusmaculatus Keys.

Synema

parvulaHentz.

Misumena

spinosa Keys.

Misumena

oblonija Keys.

Runciniaaleatoria Hentz.

Philodromusvulgaris Hentz.t

Philodromus imbecillus Keys.

LYCOSID^E.

Lycosa^{scutulata Hentz.}

Lycosa^{ocreata Hentz.}

LycosacarolinensisHentz.

Lycosariparia Hentz.

Lycosa^sp?

Trochosacinerea Fabr.

Trochosa _sp?

PardosamilvinaHentz.

Pardosa_{sp? [near}saxatilis.]

Pardosasp? [near milvina.^| Pardosa sp? [young.]

190

Auloniafunerea Hentz.

Ocyale undata^Hentz.

OXYOPID^E.

Oxyopes

^{salticus Hentz.}

Peucetia viridans Hentz.

PODOPHTHALMID^E.

Tetragonophthalma^dubia Hentz.

ATTID^E.

Phidippus audax^Hentz.

P. tripunctatus Hentz.

Phidippus^{rufus Hentz.}

Phidippus^insolens Hentz.

Phileeus multicolor Hentz.

Philaeusrimator Hentz.

Dendryphantes^octavus Hentz Dendryphantes^nubilus Hentz.

Dendryphantes^{retariusHentz.}

Iciusmitratus Hentz.

AstiavittataHentz.

Cyrba

^{tseniola Hentz.}

Marptusa^{familiaris Hentz.}

Admestina

tibialis Koch.

Saitis pulexHentz,

Habrocestum

ccecatumHentz.

Habrocestum

cristatum Hentz.

Ballusyoungi ^Peck.

Zygoballus parvus ^Hentz.

Zygoballussexpunctatus Hentz.

Homalattus cyaneus ^Hentz.

Synemosyna

scorpiona Hentz.

SalticusalbocinctusKoch.

NEW SPECIES.

Megamyrmecion

lepidum, ^n. sp.

Length 9

4-6

mm.;

ceph. ^1.8

mm.

_long, i.i

mm.

_{wide; pat. plus} tibia

IV

2. Cephalothorax uniformreddish, eyes partlysurrounded withblack;

abdomen

pale grayish,witha centraldarker_stripewhichcovers thewhole of the_tipof the

abdomen

and isexpanded on each side

somewhat

before themiddle tosurround an impressed dot; legs reddish, the_patellaand tibia I blackish

; mouth-parts and sternum _reddish, the latter with a brownish edge^; venter gray, darker neartip^; spinneretspale,surrounded by^a

brown

line;

epigynum

dark red-brown. Ceph.verynarrowin front;

eyes^closetogether, the^P.

M.

E. largerthantheothersandovalinshape, not halftheir diameter apart, closer to theP. S. E. than toeach other;

A.

M.

E. about halftheirdiameter_apart,andcloser to the A.S. E. than toeachother.

Sternum

aregular oval; fourth pair of legs the_longest, the scopulas nearly absent,no_spinesbeneath on tibia _I,and none above ontibiaIV.

Abdomen

_depressed, abouttwice as long ^{as wide.}

The epigynum shows

^anarea longer than broad, truncate in front, rounded behind, containing^a

median

_cavity

which

isnearly^filledby two spatulate bodiesthatprojectbeyondthe posteriormargin ^{of the}cavity.

One example, Shreveport, La. Readily

separated

from

the California!! species

by

^{its smaller} size,

marked body,

different

epigynum,

^etc.

Anyphaena

decepta,n. sp.

Length 9

6-7

mm.

Cephalothoraxyellowish, clypeus and mandibles reddish

brown

or blackish_{; legs pale,}darker near _tips; sternum _pale;

WASHINGTON. 191 abdomen

whitish or grayish,sometimeswith a basal spear-shapedmark.

Posterioreye-row procurved and longer than the anterior row, which ^is straight; A.

M.

E. aboutas large asA. S. E.

Legs

4, 1,2,3; ^tibia

IV

no longer than^tibiaI,butthemetatarsus

IV much

_longerthanthatof_legI_;

spined most numerously toward^thetips. Ventral furrow threetimes as far from _spinnerets as from the

epigynum

^{; the latter}

shows

a large roundeddepression, broader than _long,open and ^with divaricate edges behind,^{a little}mediancavity near the ^frontpart of depression.

Several

specimens from Shreveport,

^La.,

and Brazos County, Texas. Readily

distinguished

from A. fallens Htz. by

^the

absence

of

markings.

Gayenna

parvula, ^n. sp.

Length

9 5

mm.

Cephalothoraxyellowish, darkeron thehead;

man

diblesand _lipdark

brown

or black; sternum _yellowish; legs pale, un spotted^;

abdomen

brownishordark grayish,ⁱⁿ one specimen^{with a} few indistinct spots.

Head

quite broad,low; mandibles prominent^{; A.}

M.

E.

smallerthanA. S. E.;

P.M.

E.abouttwicetheirdiameter_apart; sternum once anda thirdlongerthanbroad, truncate ⁱⁿ front, broadestat second coxre; legs moderatelyshort,4, i,2,3;

abdomen

about twice as long^as broad; ventralfurrow nearertothe spinnerets than^tothe

epigynum

; the latter

shows

an areabroaderthan _long, trilobate behind, the side lobes pointed, themiddle one _larger and _round, and from under eachend of

which

there projects^adark lineor ridgebackward andoutward.

Four examples from Shreveport,

^La.,

Kissimmee,

Fla.,

and Washington, D.

^C.

Theridium

australis, ^n. sp.

Length

9 ^2.6

mm.,

^femurI1.6

mm.

Both dark and _light specimens occur, dark ones witha reddish, light ones witha yellowcephalothorax, inboth the head has a very^distinct black spot extending

down

onthe clypeusand _usuallya littlepointed behind, the legsare yellowish without bands; ^the sternum reddish or yellowish; the

abdomen

gray with the serrated light stripeborderedwithblackish whichateachend isexpanded intoa large spot.

Sometimes

the _stripe is nearly absent, but thelarge black_spots,two abovethe spinneretsand one eachsidenear_base, remain very^distinct.

The

cephalothorax^isquitebroad,

much

narrowed_{in front;}

the

abdomen

is sub-globose, and

much more

_hairythan in therelated species; the

epigynum

^{showsas a} nearly straight transverseridge,each end recurved in a small circle, in front are two _long, rather slender, slightlycurveddark marks.

Several

specimens from Shreveport, La.

Theridium

inornatum,n. sp.

Length $ i mm. Cephalothorax,legsand sternumyellowish,slightly blackishaboutthe eyes; abdomengrayish. Similarto T. unimaculatum, but not one-half as large, without anyblack spotabove or around the spinnerets. LegI islong and large as in T.unimaculatum; thefemuris

much

longer than the cephalothorax,andthetibiaislongerthanthemeta tarsus.

The

male _palpus is truncate at _tip with a large, stout,sharp- pointed projectionfrom theouter corner,^itisnearly^as long^asthewidth of thetarsus; the bulbis quite simple,^it

shows

the outline ofacurved tube,the_style isshort,stoutand_straight,withtwocurved_pieces near_by.

One from Shreveport,

^La.,

and one from Kissimmee,

^Fla.

Tmeticus

_parvus, n. sp.

Length $ i.imm. Cephalothorax, mandibles and legs paleyellowish, eyesonblack spots; sternuma littledarker; abdomen grayish. Cephalo thorax rather broad, headnot much narrowed,but littleelevated. Pos terior eye-row straight, P. M. E. less than their diameter apart, rather closer to the nearly equal P. S. E.; A.M. E. smaller, hardlytheir diam

eter apart, about as farfromthe rather _largerA. S. E.; mandibles_stout, vertical, two teethon front of each; sternum triangular, about asbroad as long, truncate ⁱⁿ front,narrowly projecting between the hind coxae behind; legsquite long,^tibiaplus patella

IV

rather longerthan theceph alothorax, no_spines above on tibiae;

abdomen

small, hardly longerand no wider than the cephalothorax, rather depressed,pointed ^at the_tip.

Male palpi quite long, the ^{tibia is} considerably enlarged at tipand has severalbroad projections^atthe_tip.atriangular one_projectingabovethe tarsus, and one on each side, with a smaller one below; ^the

hook

of palpus ^is rather narrow, there ^is an indentationon the upper edge ^near the_tip, which^latteris nearly^circularbeyond. There^is_{a large} darkoval body^atbase of bulbfromthesideof

which

arisesthe_style,whichcurves towardthe_tip and thenoutsideof thetarsus, where^itstip rests in ahya linesheath,belowthelatterisa triangular darkbody^{; neartip}of the bulb and _justbelowthe upperpart of the style are two sharp-pointed dark teeth, ratherclosetogetherand nearly equal^{in size.}

One male, Shreveport,

^La.

Acartauchenius _texana, n. sp.

Length ^ 2 mm.; 9 2 -5 mm- Cephalothorax yellowish or reddish, eyeswithblack rings; legswhitish or yellowish; abdomenwhitish with a central blackstripeandseveral apical blackchevrons;sternumyellowish or reddish withadark edge; venter pale; sides of abdomen are some times dark. Theheadof thetfiselevated andtipped withseveralstrong black hairs; the elevation bears the P. M.E. near its base, theyare very remote fromthe smallerA. M. E.,fromwhichtheheadslopesbacktothe top of theelevation. Themandiblesare of moderate size and vertical;

thesternumisaboutasbroadaslong,and_pointedbetweenthehindcoxae;

the_{legs are}of moderate length, clothed with fine hair, and

some

_long

bristles; the

abdomen

is nearly twice ^as long ^as broad, rather convex above,rounded at base.

The epigynum

shows two oval dark cavities about theirdiameter_apart,from the inner end of which extendsadark line backward andoutward.

The

male palpus has the ^tibiae shortwitha small sharp-pointed projection ^attip above; ^thebulbiscrossed obliquely by two prominent ^{dark tubes; the slender} style projects

beyond

^the tarsusand then curves backwardforaways^{; in a side}view the middle portion of the bulbprojects

much more

than other parts; the tarsus is short,and seenfrom aboverather triangular ^inoutline.

Several

specimens from Shreveport,

La.,

Holly

Springs, Miss.,

and Brazos Co., Texas.

Mr. Ashmead asked

as tothe

comparative

^richnessof the spider

fauna

of thatregion.

Mr. Banks

_replied ingeneral

terms show

ing ^thattheAttidae, for

example,

^are

more numerous

in species inthe south than in the north.

He

believes that

400

species

could be

collected in

time

in

such

a locality as

Shreveport. He

had

collected

300

species ⁱⁿ the _vicinityof Ithaca,

N. Y., but

in

northern

localities there are

many

^{of the}

minute

rock-inhabiting

forms which

are absent in the south.

Mr. Schwarz spoke

of the inequality ^{in faunistic} value of dif ferent

groups

^{of insects,} instancing especially the

comparatively

slightvalue

which

the order

Diptera seems

to possess ^{in this re} spect,

and asked Mr. Banks' opinion

^{of the} value of the_spiders.

Mr. Banks

_replied that, in his opinion, the spiders are

one

of thebest

groups

^{for the}

study

^of

geographical

distribution.

They

are

wingless and cannot

pass natural^barriers.

He spoke

ⁱⁿ

gen

eral of the

geographical

distribution of the spiders of the

United

States,

showing

^thatthe regions

mapped by

^Dr.

Merriam

are, in the

main,

substantiated

by

^this

group. Mr. Ashmead

said that

while

theoreticallythe spiders

should be

definitely restricted in distribution, practically

he knew

ofso

many wide-spread

species that

he doubted

the

very

great ^faunisticvalue of the

group. He

referred to thepossibility of the

gossamer

spiders

being

^carried for very

long

^distances

by

^the

wind, and Mr. Schwarz

also stated that spiders are especially apt ^to

be

distributed

by

^the

hand

ot

man. Mr. Schwarz

further said that

on

his returnto

Washing

ton

from Texas

various spiders

were found

inhistrunk,

and asked