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Genus Plexippus, C. Koch.
Plexippus herbigradus, sp. nov.
Male.—Ceph. th., long, 4; broad, 2·5. Abd., long, 4; broad, 2·1. Legs, 1, 4, 2, 3 = 8, 6·3, 5·6, 5·5 mm.
Cephalothorax, caput brownish, more or less suffused with bright orange-red, mottled with a creamy-brown penetrative tint; two dark spots in line with second row of eyes; thorax reddish-mahogany colour; few pale hairs, sparse yellowish fringe on frontal margin; broad oval, pars thoracica slightly exceeds pars cephalica in length, latter aplanate, limited by a somewhat diamond-shaped indentation; profile-contour rises at an angle of 45°, slopes perceptibly across caput; clypeus vertical, equal in height to radius of a fore-lateral eye.
Anterior row of eyes slightly recurved; laterals separated from central pair by nearly their diameter, latter pair rather less than that interval from each other; interspace between posterior eyes, which are visibly larger than anterior-laterals, perceptibly exceeds space dividing latter pair; eye-area about one-fourth broader than long; angles somewhat prominent, black-brown.
Legs brownish-yellow, genual and tibial joints of 1st pair reddish-mahogany, penultimate and terminal joints darkish-brown; 1st pair stoutest; genua and tibia together equal cephalothorax in length; tibial joint one-third longer than genual; metatarsal and tarsal joints thinner than tibial, one-fourth longer than that article; 2 slightly exceed 3–4 in strength, latter of about equal stoutness; hair light, sparse; about 5 spines on femora of 1–2; 6 or 7 on femora of 3–4; spine on inner side of genual joints of 1; tibiæ and metatarsi of 1–2,—3–3, 2–2; tibiæ of 3–4 have 4 spines; metatarsi 2, with rings of 5; outer claw, one strong tooth near bend of claw; inner, about 10 short close teeth; claws well curved, claw-tuft long.
Palpi, humeral and cubital joints resemble legs in colour; former article equals three terminal joints in length; pars cubitalis somewhat linear, rather stouter than humeral joint; pars radialis darker, slimmer, and about one-half length of
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pars cubitalis, projects on outer side a stoutish process, apex fine, curved upwards; lamina bulbi mahogany-colour, moderately hairy; rather longer than two former articles together, apex obliquely truncated, slope directed outwards, somewhat depressed; bulbus genitalis chocolàte-brown, nearly two-thirds length of lamina; viewed beneath, from inner side, somewhat triangular; projecting from apex are two moderately-long, fine, curved apophyses, inner black, outer pellucid; beneath lamina, on outer side, is a yellowish tumid bulb, whose free end extends backwards to radial joint.
Falces purple-chocolate; conical, vertical, transversely rugose; length equal to posterior breadth of ocular area.
Maxillæ red-mahogany colour; fore-end broad, rounded.
Labitim linear-oval; colour of maxillæ.
Sternum reddish-brown; oval.
Abdomen linear-oviform; olive-tinted stone-colour, numerous light flecks on lateral margins and dorsal line; folium brownish, coarsely serrate, encloses a linear-oval, light olive-green mark, with few brown spots; series of three oblique brown streaks on lateral margins; ventral surface brownish; hairs sparse.
Female.—Ceph. th., long, 3; broad, 2. Abd., long, 4; broad, 2. Legs, 1st pair, 5mm.
Cephalothorax yellowish - mahogany, caput mottled with creamy-brown, fore-half clouded with a darkish-brown; few hairs on margin of eye-area; pars cephalica aplanate, sides moderately abrupt, limited by a somewhat diamond-shaped depression, scarcely equals length of pars thoracica; profile-line rises from thoracic junction at an angle of 45°, dips slightly forwards across caput; clypeus vertical, equals radius of a fore-lateral eye in depth; fringe of light hairs.
Angles of eye-area less prominent than males.
Legs brownish-yellow, anterior pair shade darker, especially four terminal joints; genual and tibial joints of 1 more than three-fourths length of cephalothorax; hairs sparse; few spines on femora; single spine on inner side of genua of 1; tibiæ of 1–2, as a rule, 3–4; metatarsi, 2–2; tibiæ of 3–4, about 4 or 5; metatarsi 2, rings of 5 spines.
Palpi and hind-legs concolorous; sparsely furnished with hairs; slender; length, 2·4mm.
Falces reddish-mahogany; broad conical, less pointed and shorter than males, vertical, transversely rugose.
Maxillæ brown; extremity broad, rounded. Labium brown; linear-oval, about half length of maxillæ.
Sternum oval; yellowish.
Abdomen linear-oviform; ground-colour deep stone-colour, numerous pale flecks; folium coarsely serrate, olive-brown, encloses a pale, mottled, lanceolate figure, with serrate mar-
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gins, and about five dark spots; on lateral margins are a series of three oblique darkish streaks, converging towards spinners; ventral shield linear-ovate; normal dark hue. Abdomen sparsely clothed with hairs. Vulva red-mahogany; moderately prominent; displays above, two circular foveæ, divided by a longitudinal septum, whose breadth about equals their diameter; on the tumid margin, above the rima genitalis, are two bright reddish-mahogany circular convexities, connected by a broad ligament, whose breadth equals their diameter.
Examples of this species were captured on the summit of Te Aroha; were numerous—especially males—amongst the ferns up the Wairongomai Gorge. Individually they varied both in coloration and distinctness of pattern. A. T. U.