Article beginning on page 11.
Psyche 7:11-12, 1894.
Full text (searchable PDF)
Durable link: http://psyche.entclub.org/7/7-011.html
The following unprocessed text is extracted from the PDF file, and is likely to be both incomplete and full of errors. Please consult the PDF file for the complete article.
January 1894.1 J'S2'rHE. 11
THE NEMASTOMATIDAE AND TROGULIDAE OF THE UNITED STATES.- I.
BY NATHAN BANKS, SEA CLIFF, N. Y.
These two families are readily sep-
to the Nemastomatidae in their more
arated from the other family (Phalan-
compact form, and more complicated
gidae) of the Phalangida Plagiostethi structure. A few Nemastomatidae by the absence of a claw to the end of have been described from the United the palpus.
The last joint of the palpus States by Packard and Simon.* is shorter than the preceding one ; this character is also found in the male of TROGULIDAE. one genus of Phalangidae (Protolophus)
but not to such a marked degree. The
Nemaston~atidae are separated from the
Trogulidae by having the coxae free,
while in the latter family the coxae are united. The size of the palpus also
serves to distinguish them; in the
Trogulidae the palpi are very short and
concealed by the projection of the eye-
tubercle, in the Nemastomatidae the
palpi are very long and prominent,
usually longer than the body.
The Trogulidae have not previously
been recorded from the United States.
Two forms are known to me which
appear to belong to two genera, both
new. They have more tarsal joints
than is common in the European forms,
in this resembling more the genus
Dicranolasma ; the eye-tubercle is modi- fied on a quite different plan from that of the European forms. The two
genera may be separated as follows :-
I consider the Trogulidae the highest
Eye tubercle projecting in the form of a family of Phalangida. In the groups of
spoon, two spines at each side on the anterior arachnids below the Phalangida it is "å´^'å´gi . . . . Eye tubercle tree-shaped, a single club at normal to have two claws to the tarsi. each side on the anterior With the Phalangida Mecostethi (Cos-
Dendrolasma.
metidae, Gonglyptidae, etc.) the two
hind pairs of tarsi bear two claws, the
ORTHOLASMA gen. nov.
anterior pairs have but one; the palpi
Cephalothorax with a pair of spines at
have a claw Or curved spine at end.
each side on the anterior margin, the eye In the Phalangida Plagiostethi all the
tubercle projecting in front in the form of an tarsi have but one claw, thus showing
* Packard-On a new cave-fauna in Utah-Bull. an advance' The 'llalangidae
Hayden's U. S. Geoi. and Geog. Survey, 1877. retain the palpal claw, but the Nemas-
Packard-New caveArachnida.-Am. Nat. 1884. - -
tomatidae and lid^^ have lost it. '
Packard-Cave memoir-Nat. Acad. Sci. 1887 (?). Simon -Descriptions d'opiliones nouveaux-C, R. The Trogulidae show their superiority
soc. ~"t, ~ ~ 1 ~ .
================================================================================
12 PSYCHE. [January 1894.
almost flat, gradually widening plate, the tip rpunded, with a more dense central rib and some side ribs connected by a membrane.
Body short, one halflonger than wide. Eyes but partially seen from above. Tarsi with five to seven joints. The palpi not half so long as the width of body. The sternum is united to the venter.
Ortholasma rugosa, n. sp. Length, 3.6
mm. ; width, 3 mm. ; femur 11, 3 mm. ;femur I, 1.6 mm. Color black, young specimens
brownish, the projection of the eye tubercle brown ; legs pale toward the tips. The
entire dorsal shield is roughened by the presence of ridges, somewhat regularly but complexly arranged ; where the ridges inter. sect they form tubercles, which in young specimens are furnished with short clubs or spines; the arrangement of the ridges is more easily seen in young than in adult
specimens. The posterior margin of the
dorsal shield is furnished with a row of spines, those near the middle being the
largest. The portion of the abdomen below the end of the dorsal shield is furnished with rows of tubercles. The venter and coxae
have numerous rounded tubercles or large granules, more prominent in young speci- mens; the spiracles are more distinct in young than old specimens. The trochanters are roughened with tubercles, the other
joints of the legs smoother and with short hairs; second pair of legs longest, fourth next; tibia I1 almost as long as femur 11. Palpi furnished with short hairs, fifth joint about one-half as long as the fourth.
Southern California.
DENDROLASMA gen. nov.
Cephalothorax with a club at each side on the anterior margin.
Eye tubercle projecting
forward in the form of a central support, with lateral branches somewhat connected at the tips, the whole forming an oval figure. Eyes distinct from above. In this as well as
Ortholasma the eyes are situated at the base of the tubercle, and not carried forward on the projection as in some European forms. The form of the body is like Ortholasma; the sternum is united to the venter; leg I1 is proportionately longer than in Ortholasma and there are eight or ten joints in the tarsus I1 ; tarsus I has but four joints.
Dendrolasma miramis n. sp.
Length, 3
mm. ; width, 2.1 mm. ; femur 11, 3 mtn. ; femur I, 1.5 mm. Color brown or black,
venter paler; projection of eye tubercle and the club at each side whitish, legs paler toward the tips. Suture between cephalo- thorax and abdomen and one at base of
abdomen distinct. Sides and hind margin
of cephalothorax with ;i row of tubercles more or less connected. A square just
behind the eye tubercle of similar tubercles. The dorsum of the abdomen has many series of these tubercles, regularly but very coni- plexly arranged. There are five pairs of larger tubercles on the dorsum, each bearing small clubs 01- spines ; the anterior pairs are closer together than the posterior pairs. The hind margin of the dorsal shield is furnished with a series of clubs having lateral projec- tions, those each side of the middle being the largest. The segments of the abdomen below the end of the
dorsal shield are some-
what roughened with tubercles.
The ventral
segments and coxae have many rounded
granules. The second joint of the mandibles has a projection above. The trochanters are very rough; the tips of the anterior coxae have partial circles of connected tubercles ; on the second coxae one of these tubercles is greatly enlarged and swollen at the tip; and on the fourth there is a straight row of sim- ilar tubercles along the outer side. The legs are quite long, the second longest, and the fourth next; they are but little roughened and with short hairs. In one specimen one of the clubs on the anterior margin is cleft at the tip. The peculiar tubercles on the body are quite similar to those found in Nern~storn~ modesta.
Washington State (Trevor Kincaid).
================================================================================
Volume 7 table of contents