CO129-554-6 Hong Kong University- 1. Appointment of Dr. Chen Shas Yi as head of Chinese Department... 18-3-1935 - 28-10-1935 — Page 23

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HONG KONG SPIDERS.

II.

By W. RAE SHerriffs.

Professor OF ZOOLOGY, UNIVERSITY COLLEGE, SOUTHAMPTON.

Family ARGIOPIDAE (continued).

Genus ARANEUS, Clerck (cf. H.K.N. V., p. 88.)

5. Araneus mitificus, Simon.

First described by Simon in "Ann. Soc. Linn. Bordeaux." xi, p. 150 (1886) as Epeïra mitifica.

Thorell in his 'Primo Saggio Sui Ragni Birmani' Genova 1887 p. 187 describes this species fully in Latin as Epeira mitifica. Workman figures it in his 'Malaysian Spiders,' 1896.

It is, when alive, a beautiful small green spider with the abdomen dorsally yellowish grey or fawn and prettily marked with characteristic black spots of which there is a large transverse procurved one (bean shaped) at the top end and four much smaller ones at the hind end (see figure).

I have found this spider within the city of Madras and also on the Nilgiri Hills at Kotagiri. It has been reported also from Poona and Konkan in India and from Singapore. The snare is said to measure 4"-5" diameter and to have one free segment with a line from it.

The spider is usually resting on a leaf of the hedge under a light silk tunnel with the orb web close by. It then rushes out whenever a fly alights on the web. In the Nilgiris I have taken it frequently from Lantana and other bushes.

From Hong Kong this spider has been collected, one female only from the Peak.

Genus ARGIOPE, Savigny 1827.

6. Argiope aemula, Walck.

First described by Walckenaer in his "Histoire Naturelle des Insectes Apteres" Paris 1837 as Epeïra aemula.

Thorell gives the Latin description in his "Ragni di Selebes" p. 24 Genoa 1877 and Pocock very briefly in English in his "Arachnida" (Fauna of British India series) 1900 p. 223.

The genus Argiope has given its name to the huge family to which the preceding spiders have all belonged. The cephalothorax is flat; ocular quadrangle much longer than wide: eyes of posterior line very strongly procurved, the medians being far behind the laterals: abdomen truncate in front, swollen and with or without caudal processes and large lateral lobes.

The females are usually spiders of large size (10-20 mm. long) generally very beautifully marked and coloured in white, silver or gold. The sternum is usually black with a distinct median longitudinal line in white, yellow or orange.

July 1935.

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