Harvesting Ants and Trap-Door Spiders: Notes and Observations on Their Habits and DwellingsMoggridge, John Traherne
Science
Harvesting Ants and Trap-Door Spiders: Notes and Observations on Their Habits and Dwellings
Moggridge, John Traherne
Ants; Trap-door spiders
_Cephalothorax_ oblong oval, somewhat truncate at each end, and of
a dull whitish-yellow brown colour, the normal grooves and furrows
are strongly marked, the caput is large and elevated, rounded on
the sides and slightly higher near the occiput than at the ocular
area, the junction of the thoracic segments is indicated by a
strong deep curved indentation, the curve directed backwards;
there are a few strong black bristles of different lengths within
the ocular space, and several others run backwards in the central
line to the occiput. The height of the Clypeus is equal to rather
more than the diameter of one of the foremost eyes. The _Eyes_ are
eight, and form a rectangular figure whose transverse diameter
is the longest, and whose fore side is a little shorter than
the hinder one; the longitudinal diameter is about equal to the
space between the two foremost eyes; these are the largest of the
eight, and are separated by an interval of very nearly two eyes'
diameters; the two central eyes are the smallest, and are distant
from each other just about one eye's diameter, the eyes of the
hinder row are in two pairs forming the hinder corners of the
rectangle, those of each pair are nearly contiguous to each other,
and the inner one of each is the smallest; these last in the figure
appear to be the smallest of the eight, but this arises from the
point of view whence the figure was drawn; the two central eyes
occupy as nearly as possible the centre of the figure formed by the
two foremost eyes, and the two inner ones of the hinder row, and
are seated on a large black spot. The _Legs_ are short, strong,
and similar to the Cephalothorax in colour, their relative length
appeared to be 4, 3, 1, 2, they are furnished with hairs, bristles,
and short strong spines. These latter are on those of the two first
pairs, situated chiefly in two longitudinal parallel rows beneath
the tibiæ, metatarsi, and tarsi; on those of the third pair they
are situated on the sides and upper sides of those joints, while
the fourth pair has them only beneath the metatarsi and tarsi; all
the tarsi terminate with three claws, the two superior ones are
much the longest and strongest, and have a single short strong
tooth inside near the base. Near the union of the femora and genuæ
of the legs of the fourth pair are numerous short strong spines,
hairs, and bristles. The _Palpi_ are similar in colour to the
legs; they are strong and about equal in length to the legs of the
second pair, and have a double longitudinal row of strong spines
widely separated and divergent from each other beneath them; the
digital joint (like the tarsi of the legs) is furnished with other
spines between these two rows; each palpus terminates with a single
untoothed curved claw. The _Falces_ are strong, prominent, rounded
in the profile line, and have some hairs, bristles, and spines near
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