Supplement to Harvesting Ants and Trap-Door SpidersMoggridge, John Traherne
Science
Supplement to Harvesting Ants and Trap-Door Spiders
Moggridge, John Traherne
Ants; Trap-door spiders
The _legs_ are strong, moderately long, their relative length 4,
1, 2, 3, though in some examples those of the second and third
pairs are equal in length; in others, those of the third pair are
slightly longer than those of the second; here again, as with the
eyes, although the relative proportion of the legs of spiders is an
important specific point, and in general tolerably reliable, yet
accurate observation and measurements prove that there are small
differences in individual instances. The legs are yellow-brown
in colour, furnished with hairs, bristles, and a few spines. The
outer sides of the genual joints of the third pair are destitute of
spines; in two instances only out of 20, this joint had a single, not
very conspicuous, spine. The superior tarsal claws have 4-5 minute
pectinations underneath near their base.
The _palpi_ are moderately long and strong, and similar in colour
and general armature to the legs; they terminate with a single,
strong, sharply curved untoothed claw.
The _falces_ are of a deep black red-brown colour, strong and
prominent, and flat, but not cut away, on their inner sides; they are
furnished on their upper sides with black bristles and yellowish-grey
hairs, disposed in longitudinal lines; these bristles are strongest
and most numerous on the inner margin of the upper side, increasing
in strength forwards where, near the extremity, are some strong
spines.
On the inner edge of the under side of each falx is a row of teeth,
and each fang is also denticulate or finely serrate, beneath towards
its hinder part.
The _maxillæ_ are strong, cylindrical, and divergent; and each has a
small bluntish angular prominence at the extremity on the inner side;
their inner margin has a thick fringe of pale reddish hairs, the fore
surface being clothed (as ordinarily) with dark bristly hairs, and
there are a few black minute tooth-like spines in a line (sometimes
in a small group) near the inner corner of their base.
The _labium_ is short, broad, its breadth nearly double its length,
and the upper corners rather rounded off; there are some strongish
bristles, mostly towards the apex, but no tooth-like spines nor
denticulations.
The _sternum_ is oval, rather convex, broadest towards the hinder
part, which is pointed at this extremity but hollow-truncate before.
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