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A MONOGRAPII
OF THE
TERRESTRIAL CARBONIFEROUS
ARACHNIDA
OF
GREAT BRITAIN.
BY
RHGINALD INNES POCOCK, F.L.S.,
SUPERINTENDENT OF THE ZOOLOGICAL SOCIETY'S GARDENS, REGENT’S PARK, LONDON.
LONDON:
PRINTED FOR THE PALHONTOGRAPHICAL SOCIETY.
JANUARY, 1911.
ADLARD AND SON, IMPR., LONDON AND DORKING.
SYSTEMATIC INDEX.
PAGE PAGE
Order SCORPIONES Ne Nee leet 9 Order HAPTOPODA as pst Basal)
Eobuthus ... ne Ae mae lies Plesiosiromee is a LaeRTAS
aoe holti ay fa Ae | = madeleyi te 644
Paleomachus ne “ibs we 16 |
ee anglicus AG | Order PHALANGIOTARBI Bee Pee)
INGGHPOCTOnUS te ae | Phalangiotarbus... eek «46
qe elaber re 18 — subovalis ton AB
= tuberculatus Oy) Geraphrynus ve 680 dba Ge
Cyclophthalmus ... Be euall9 angulatus ... i VAS
— euglyptus bee mL) hindi oa - 51
Anthracoscorpio 20 | - tuberculatus gon OY
= sparthensis gon 20) eggintoni ... - 53
ast dunlopi ... . ol | torpedo nes hae oye
= buthiformis ... 24 | = angustus ... o. 55
"Order ANTHRACOMARTI Re el ean
Order PEDIPALPT... 28 Brachypyge hee Be son SC
Suborder Uropyat 28 ~- carbonis et aco OY)
Geralinura ... za 98 Maiocercus... sin Fi sso AO)
— britannica 29 — celticus ae ea OU,
Suborder AMBLYPYGI ... 31 Anthracomartus ... Seb oa) 2
Greophonus 31 hinders . G4
— anglicus 32 — priesti ... Sane
Anthracosiro 69
Order ARANEE 33 woodwardi ... 70
Suborder Mrsoruee ... 33 ro fritschi @
Hocteniza .... ie 33 Trigonotarbus 73
— silvicola... 84. a yominsout co
Arthrolycosa 34, Eophrynus ... 76
Suborder OpistHoTHEL® 36 =s prestvici 7
Axchssometa 36 Kreischeria 77
— nephilina 37 VCE oISE) 78
Aphantomartus B36 79
Order RICINULEL ... 37 7 ERTIES ie GE
Curculioides 38 | 2 Order OPILIONES or ANTHRACO-
_- ansticli 39 MARTI nie Bs ae a
Poliochera ... a i Be 1 AO Nemastomoides ... fee Sia, 188:
— alticeps pre . 40 -- elaveris ... soo. te
A MONOGRAPH
OF THE
TERRESTRIAL CARBONIFEROUS ARACHNIDA OF
GREAT BRITAIN,
I—INTRODUCTION.
Most of the material upon which this monograph is based came from Coseley, near
Dudley, and was kindly lent to me by the following gentlemen, to whom my
grateful thanks are due: Dr. Wheelton Hind, Mr. 8. Priest, Mr. Henry Johnson,
the late Mr. William Madeley, and Mr. Walter Egginton. I am also greatly
indebted to the Director of the Geological Survey and to Dr. Kitchin for the
loan of specimens from the Survey Museum in Jermyn Street; to Dr. Smith
Woodward, the Keeper, and to Dr. F. A. Bather, the Assistant-Keeper, of the
Geological Department of the British Museum, not only for the loan of specimens,
but also for the privilege of free access to the collection of fossil Arachnida in that
institution ; to Dr. Henry Woodward for the opportunity to examine and describe
examples that had been entrusted to him by Dr. Moysey, Mr. W. A. Parker, and
Mr. F. Holt; and to Mr. Robert Dunlop for two very interesting specimens from
Scotland. Without the help thus generously afforded, the present work could not
have been attempted. Finally, I wish to thank Miss Gertrude M. Woodward for
the care she has taken in the execution of the plates and text-figures illustrating
this monograph. ;
The species forming the subject-matter of the following pages are referred to
seven orders: Scorpiones, Pedipalpi, Aranez, Ricinulei, Haptopoda, Phalangio-
tarbi, and Anthracomarti, one species doubtfully belonging to the Opiliones. The
Haptopoda, Phalangiotarbi, and Anthracomarti are, so far as is known, wholly
extinct. Iam unable to offer any satisfactory suggestion as to the cause of their
extinction, there being nothing in their organisation very obviously calculated to
make them less fitted for survival than the Ricinulei. The reason for the survival
of Secorpiones and Pedipalpi is perhaps to be found partly in their possession of
1
TERRESTRIAL CARBONIFEROUS ARACHNIDA.
bo
powerful chelate palpi. But in addition to these efficient prehensile organs the
Scorpiones have a poisonous sting; the Uropygous Pedipalpi have protective acid-
glands at the tip of the opisthosoma, while the Amblypygi are extraordinarily
quick in their movements and have a highly specialised tactile organ in the legs of
the first pair. The Aranew have probably survived in virtue of their snare- and
cocoon-making spinning glands, coupled with poison-glands in the mandibles; and
there is some evidence that existing Opiliones are protected by their scent-glands.
Since there is no reason to suppose that the members of the extinct orders above
enumerated had specialised glands either for offensive or defensive purposes, and
since their palpi were short and non-prehensile, and their organisation suggests that
they were comparatively slow-moving, cryptozoic forms, it might be supposed that
these attributes supply the needed explanation, were it not that the Ricinulei re-
semble them in most of these particulars. One thing, however, must not be for-
gotten. An important factor in the evolution of terrestrial Arachnida has been, in
my opinion, a change from the method of pairing, as practised by Scorpions, to new
and special methods, resulting in the modification of a part of one of the prothoracic
limbs into an intromittent organ, often of great complexity. This may be seen in
the Aranex, where the palpi are modified, in the Solifugee, where the mandibles
are modified, in some of the Acari, and lastly in the Ricinulei, where the legs of the
third pair are modified. Even the Opiliones possess very special secondary repro-
ductive organs. There is no evidence, nor any reason to suppose, that the
Haptopoda, Phalangiotarbi, or Anthracomarti had departed from the normal in
their breeding habits; and it is quite conceivable that the Ricinulei have outlasted
their Carboniferous contemporaries belonging to those three orders on account of
their very specialised methods of copulation.
Up to the present time the only orders of Arachnida known to be represented
in British Carboniferous strata, belong to the Scorpiones, the Phalangiotarbi, and
the Anthracomarti. Of Scorpiones several species have been described, mostly by
Dr. Peach from Scotland; one species of Phalangiotarbi was named many years
ago by Dr. Woodward; while of Anthracomarti some five species have been made
known by Dr. Woodward and myself. As an historical fact it is interesting to
record that in 1826 Dean Buckland described two Arachnida as Coleopterous
insects. One of these was detected to be an Arachnid by Dr. Woodward, and the
other I have now been able to identify as also belonging to that class.
The material at my disposal has shown that the British Carboniferous fauna is
at least as rich in species and genera of Arachnida as that of Continental Europe
and North America, the species of which have been described for the most part
respectively by Kusta and Fritsch and by Seudder. Fritsch can hardly be acquitted
of the charge of needlessly creating species and genera. Scudder’s work on the
contrary is open to no such accusation. It appears to me that in the present state
of our knowledge of this group, species in themselves are of very little importance.
REVISION OF PREVIOUSLY PROPOSED CLASSIFICATIONS. 3
Whenever possible, therefore, I have avoided making them. The characters of the
orders, families, and often of the genera are, on the contrary, of the highest interest.
They show that the Pedipalpi, Aranez and Ricinulei, and some of the Scorpiones
have existed almost unchanged down to the present day ; and that other Scorpions,
on the other hand, e.g. Hobuthus, differed considerably from modern types in one
feature at least, which may be described as Merostomatous. Apart from this one
fact, and for a possibly closer connection between the spider named Arthrolycosa
and the Amblypygous Pedipalpi than exists in modern types, these orders were as
sharply defined as they are now; and unless, as is possible, the extinct orders,
Haptopoda, Anthracomarti and Phalangiotarbi, serve to bridge to a certain extent
the interval between the Opiliones and more primitive orders of Arachnida, it can
hardly be claimed that the Carboniferous fauna throws much, if any, hght upon the
origin and mutual relationship of existing orders of the class. In other words,
the available paleontological data supplied by a study of these Carboniferous
Arachnida do not furnish any strong evidence in favour of the evolution of the
class. Hence, for the common stock whence the Epectinate Arachnida originated,
we must look to deposits much earlier than those laid down in the Carboniferous
epoch.
Il—ANNOTATED REVISION OF PREVIOUSLY PROPOSED
CLASSIFICATIONS OF CARBONIFEROUS ARACHNIDA.
1. Kanrscu, F. E., Zeitschr. deutsch. geol. Ges., 1882, pp. 556—961.
Order 1. ARANEA.
Family LipwHistrip&.
Genus Protolycosa, Roemer: P. anthracophila, Roemer.
Order 2. OPILIONES.
Family TRoGULIDE.
Genus Kreischeria, Geinitz: K. wiedei, Geinitz.
Order 3. ANTHRACOMARTI.
Family ARCHITARBIDE.
Genus Architarbus, Scudder: A. rotundatus, Scudder ; subovalis, Wood-
ward ; silesiacus, Roemer.
Genus Anthracomartus, nov.: A. vélkelianws, nov.
Family HopHRyNIDe.
Genus Eophrynus, Woodward: E. prestvicti, Buckland.
Order 4. SCORPIONES.
Genus Eoscorpius, Meek and Worthen: EH. anglicus, Woodward ; carbo-
narius, Meek and Worthen.
Genus Microlabis, Corda: M. sternbergi, Corda.
Genus Cyclophthalmus, Corda: C. senior, Corda.
Genus Mazonia, Meek and Worthen: IM. woodiana, Meek and Worthen.
4. TERRESTRIAL CARBONIFEROUS ARACHNIDA.
Observations.—Protolycosa is very likely correctly referred to the Liphistude.
Kreischeria does not belong to the Trogulide of the order Opiliones, but is closely
related to Hophrynus. The order Anthracomarti contains the elements of two
orders; and the Architarbide the elements of two distinct families. The
Architarbide, with Architarbus, should be eliminated from the Anthracomarti, and
Anthracomartus left in the order as the type of a family—distinct from the
Eophrynide.
2. ScuppEr, 8. H., Proc. Amer. Acad. Arts and Sci., vol. xx, 1884, pp. 15—22.
Order ANTHRACOMARTI.
Family 1. ARtTHROLYCOSIDE.
Genus Arthrolycosa, Harger: A. antiqua, Harger.
Family 2. PoLtiocHERIDS, nov.
Genus Poliochera, nov.: P. punctulata, sp. n.
Family 3. ARCHITARBIDH.
Genus Geraphrynus, nov.: G. carbonarius, sp. 0.
Genus Architarbus, Scudder: A. rotundatus, Scudder; subovalis, Wood-
ward (= ? Curculioides ansticii, Buck-
land) ; silestacus, Roemer.
Genus Anthracomartus, Karsch: A. vilkelianus, Kusta; krejevi, Kusta ;
trilobitus, nov. ; pustulatus, nov.
Family 4. HoPHRYNID&.
Genus Eophrynus, Woodward: LH. prestvicti, Buckland ; E. salmi, Stur.
Order PEDIPALPI.
Genus Geralinura, nov.: -G. carbonaria, sp. n.
Order SCORPIONES.
Family Hoscorpronip&.
Genus Eoscorpius, Meek and Worthen: LF. carbonarius, Meek and Worthen ;
anglicus, Woodward; euglyptus, glaber, inflatus,
tuberculatus, Peach.
Genus Cyclophthalmus, Corda: C. senior, Corda (= Microlabis sternbergi).
Genus Mazonia, Meek and Worthen: M. woodiana, Meek and Worthen.
Order ARANEA.
Family Lirwistipm.
Genus Protolycosa, Roemer: P. anthracophila, Roemer.
Genus Palaranea, Fritsch: P. borassifolia, Fritsch.
3. ScuppzEr, S. H., Mem. Boston Soc. Nat. Hist., vol. iv, 1890, pp. 443—456.
Scudder’s final classification of the American forms, omitting Aranez and
Scorpiones, was as follows:
Order ANTHRACOMARTI.
Family 1. Poutocurrip2™.
Genus Poliochera, Scudder: P. punctulata, Scudder.
REVISION OF PREVIOUSLY PROPOSED. CLASSIFICATIONS. 5
Family 2. ARCHITARBID™.
Genus Geraphrynus, Scudder: G. carbonarius, Scudder.
Genus Geratarbus, nov.: G. lucoei; scabrum, spp. n.
Genus Architarbus, Scudder: A. rotundatum, Scudder ; elongatum, sp. 0.
Genus Kustarachne, nov.: K. tenwipes, sp n.
Genus Anthracomartus, Karsch : A.trilobitus, Scudder; pustulatus, Scudder.
Order PEDIPALPI.
Family GERALINURIDS.
Genus Greophonus, nov.: G. carbonarius, sp. n.
Genus Geralinura, Scudder: G. carbonaria, Scudder.
Observations.—In these classifications the order Anthracomarti contains hetero-
geneous elements belonging to the orders Aranex (Arthrolycosa), Ricinulei (Polio-
chera), Anthracomarti (Anthracomartus), and, in my opinion, Phalangiotarbi
(Geraphrynus, Geratarbus, Architarbus).
In the Pedipalpi the genera referred to the family Geralinuride belong to the
very distinct sub-orders Amblypygi (Greophowus) and Uropyei (Geralinura).
4, Haass, E., Zeitschr. deutsch. geol. Ges., 1890, pp. 629—657.
Order I. SCORPIONES.
Sub-order ANTHRACOSCORPII.
Family EoscorpionipZ.
Sub-families HoscorPIoNINi, CYCLOPHTHALMI.
Order Il. PEDIPALPT.
Sub-order 1. UROPYGI.
Family THEvypHonips.
Genus Geralinura, Scudder: G. carbonaria, Scudder, ete.
Sub-order 2. AMBLYPYGI.
Family ARcHITARBIDE.
Genus Architarbus, Scudder: A. rotundatus, Scudder.
Genus Geraphrynus, Scudder: G. carbonarius, Scudder.
Order III. CHERNETES.
Genus Rakovnicia, Kusta: R. antiqua, Kusta.
Order TV. OPILIONES.
Sub-order 1. PHALANGIOTARBI.
Family PHALANGIOTARBIDH.
Genus Phalangiotarbus, nov.: P. swbhovalis, Woodward.
Sub-order 2. ANTHRACOMARTI.
Family ANTHRACOMARTID.
Genus Anthracomartus, Karsch: Many species.
Family KReiscHERIID™.
Genus Kreischeria, Geinitz: K. wiedei, Geinitz.
Family HorpHryNIp&.
Genus Eophrynus, Woodward: JL. prestvicii, Buckland; salmi, Stur ;
sturii, sp. D.
6 TERRESTRIAL CARBONIFEROUS ARACHNIDA.
Sub-order 3. PLAGIOSTETHI.
Family TROGULID.
Genus Poliochera, Scudder.
Order V. ARANEAL.
Sub-order 1. ARTHRARACHN A).
Family ARTHROLYCOSIDS.
Geneva Arthrolycosa, Harger ; Geralycosa, Kusta.
Sub-order 2. TETRASTICTA (TETRAPNEUMONES).
Family PRrorouycosips.
Genus Protolycosa, Roemer.
Family Lipuistip2.
Genera Eolycosa, Kusta; Palaranea, Fritsch.
Observations.—Haase makes the great advance of recognising the close affinity
between the genera he refers to the sub-order Anthracomarti. But Poliochera
does not belong to the Opiliones, nor in my opinion can the Anthracomarti and
Phalangiotarbi be relegated to that order. It seems to me, moreover, that the
Phalangiotarbide and Architarbidz belong to the same ordinal group, for which I
adopt Haase’s name Phalangiotarbi; and this order has no near relationship with
the Pedipalpi of the sub-order Amblypygi. As regards the Aranez, it appears
to me that of all the Carboniferous forms Arthrolycosa is the most nearly allied to
the existing Liphistius, and I cannot find any evidence in favour of the creation of
a sub-order Arthrarachnee for Arthrolycosa and Geralycosa ; nor does it appear to
me that Protolycosa, Holycosa, and Palavanea can be referred with any certainty to
the Tetrapneumones, none of the existing members of which retain the terga of
the opisthosoma.
5. Pococx, R. L., Geol. Mag. [4], vol. ix, 1902, pp. 489—448, 487—493 ; and vol. x.
1903, p. 408.
Order ANTHRACOMARTI.
Family ANTHRACOSIRONIDA.
Genus Anthracosiro, nov.: A. woodwardi, nov. ; fritschii, nov.
Family ANTHRACOMARTIDA.
Genus Anthracomartus, Karsch.
Genus Brachypyge, Woodward: B. carbonis, Woodward ; celtica, nov.
Family EoruryNipm.
Genus Eophrynus, Woodward: FE. prestvicti, Buckland; salmi, Stur;
sturti, Haase.
Genus Kreischeria, Geinitz: K. wiedei, Geinitz.
6. Menanpur, A. L., Journ. Geol. (Chicago), vol. 11, 1903, pp. 178—184, pls. v, vil.
The author of this paper follows Scudder’s classification, and evidently has a
very limited acquaintance with Arachnid morphology. He attempts a tabulation
REVISION OF PREVIOUSLY PROPOSED CLASSIFICATIONS. 7
of the genera of the Carboniferous Arachnida of Illinois, adding to those previously
characterised a new genus and species, Hadrachne horribilis, which certainly
belongs to the Phalangiotarbi as defined below.
7. Frirsca, A., Paleeozoische Arachniden, Prag, 1904, pp. 5—80.
Order ARANEA.
Sub-order ARTHRARACHN®, Haase.
Family ARTHROLYCOSID®.
Genus Arthrolycosa, Harger: A. antiqua, Harger, ete.
Genus Protolycosa, Roemer: P. anthracophila, Roemer.
Genus Geralycosa, Kusta: G. fritschii, Kusta.
Genus Rakovnicia, Kusta (= Hotarbus, Kusta): R. antiqua, Kusta.
Sub-order PLEURARANEZ:, nov.
Family Hemipurynip™.
Genus Hemiphrynus, Fritsch: H. longipes, hofmanni, Fritsch.
Family PRomyGaLipm.
; Genus Promygale, Fritsch: P. bohemica, Fritsch, ete.
Genus Perneria, Fritsch: P. salticoides, Fritsch.
fenus Kopholeus, Fritsch: I. pedatus, Fritsch.
Genus Pleurolycosa, Fritsch: P. prolifera, Fritsch.
Genus Brachylycosa, Fritsch: B. careinoides, Fritsch.
Genus Pyritaranea, Fritsch: P. tubifera, Fritsch.
Order OPILIONES.
Sub-order OPILIONIDA VERT.
Genus Nemastomoides, Thevenin: N. e/averis, Thevenin.
Genus Dinopilio, Fritsch: D. gigas, Fritsch.
Sub-order MERIDOGASTRA (= ANTHRACOMARTIT).
Family PottocHerip”,
Genus Poliochera, Scudder: P. punctulata, Scudder.
Family ARCHITARBIDA.
Genus Geraphrynus, Scudder: G. carbonarius, elongatus, Scudder.
Genus Architarbus, Scudder: A. rotundatus, Scudder; subovalis, Woodward.
Family ANTHRACOMARTIDA.
Genus Anthracomartus, Kars:h: Several species.
Genus Brachypyge, Woodward: B. carbonis, Woodward ; celtica, Pocock.
Genus Anthracosiro, Pocock: A. woodwardi, fritschti, Pocock.
Genus Eotrogulus, Thevenin: FE. fayoli, Thevenin.
Genus Vratislavia, Fritsch: V. silesiaea, Roemer.
Family Eorurynip%.
Genus Eophrynus, Woodward: LH. prestvicii, Buckland.
Genus Stenotrogulus, Fritsch: S. salmi, Stur.
Genus Cyclotrogulus, Fritsch: ©. stuwrii, Haase.
Genus Kreischeria, Geinitz: K. wiedei, Geinitz.
Genus Hemikreischeria: H. geinitzi, Thevenin (= thevenini, Fritsch).
Genus Petrovicia, Fritsch: P. proditoria, Fritsch.
Genus Adelocaris, Packard: A. perwvianus, Packard.
TERRESTRIAL CARBONIFEROUS ARACHNIDA.
@
Order PEDIPALPI.
Family THELYPHONID.
Genus Prothelyphonus, Fritsch: P. bohemicus, Kusta; ? cordai, Fritsch.
Genus (Geralinura, Scudder).
Order SCORPIONES.
Sub-order DIONYCHOPODES.
Family ANTHRACOSCORPII.
Genus Cyclophthalmus, Corda: C. senior, Corda.
Genus Microlabis, Corda: M. sternbergi, Corda.
Genus Isobuthus, Fritsch: I. kralupensis, Thorell and Lindstrém.
Genus Eobuthus, Fritsch: H. rakovnicensis, Fritsch.
Genus Feistmantelia, Fritsch: F. ornata, Fritsch.
Genus Eoscorpius, Meek and Worthen: FE. carbonarius, Meek and
Worthen ; anglicus, Woodward.
Genus Mazonia, Meek and Worthen: M. woodiana, Meek and Worthen.
Observations.—For reasons published in 1910 I consider that Fritsch’s genus
Promygale is a synonym of Anthracomartus; and smee the forms he refers to
Hemiphrynus also belong apparently to the same order as Anthracomartus, there is
no reason for the retention of his suborder Pleuraranes. At all events, what-
ever these forms may be, they are assuredly not referable to the Aranee. The
other genera assigned to the Aranez seem to belong to that order, so far as can
be judged from the author’s figures. As for his order Opiliones, it has already
been stated that the Poliocheride, Architarbidee, Anthracomartide and Eophrynide
cannot be relegated to it nor to any single group of Arachnida, whether it be
named Anthracomarti or Meridogastra. Nemastomoides may be one of the
Opiliones, but Dinopilio, if figured with an approach to accuracy, should find place
in the Aranezw probably. In recognising that Geraphrynus and Architarbus
(including Phalangiotarbus) constitute a natural group, Fritsch improves upon
Haase’s system. As regards the Anthracomartide and Kophrynide, he practically
follows my classification, although he places Anthracosiro m the Anthracomartide
and by so doing drops the family Anthracosironide.
Unfortunately, the value of this monograph is lessened by the author’s lack
of acquaintance with the morphology of recent Arachnida, especially on such points
as the constancy of the segmentation of the appendages within ordinal limits, His
restorations, therefore, cannot be regarded as correct interpretations of the structure
of the fossils.
8. Pococr, R. I., Geol. Mag. [5], vol. vu, 1910, pp. 505—512.
Reasons are given for concluding that the genera referred by Fritsch to the
Pleuraraneee belong to the Anthracomarti, Promygale bemg a synonym of
Anthracomartus.
SCORPIONES. 9
The Phalangiotarbi are retained as a valid group containing the following
famihes and genera with their type species :
Family PHALANGIOTARBIDS.
Genus Phalangiotarbus, Haase: P. subovalis, Woodward.
Family ARCHITARBIDS.
Genus Architarbus, Scudder: A. rotundatus, Scudder.
Genus Geraphrynus, Scudder: . G. carbonarius, Scudder.
Genus Geratarbus, Scudder: G. lacoei, Scudder.
Genus Opiliotarbus, noy.: 0. elongatus, Scudder.
IlIl.-SYSTEMATIC ACCOUNT OF THE BRITISH SPECIES.
Order SCORPIONES, Uatreille.
The Carboniferous Scorpions were formerly assigned by Thorell and Lindstrém
to a special group, Anthracoscorpu, on the supposition that the median eyes were in
advance of the lateral eyes, instead of behind them as in recent Scorpions or
Neoscorpii. This supposition has no foundation in fact, so far as is known.
Perhaps, indeed, the most useful contribution that Fritsch has made to our
knowledge of fossil Scorpions, is his discovery that the so-called posterior row of .
eyes described by Corda in Cyclophthalmus senior are in reality tubercles. Fritsch,
however, still preserved the name Anthracoscorpii for the Carboniferous species
collectively, although justification for this course was not supported by any new
definition of the group.
Nevertheless, some of the Carboniferous Scorpions differ from all recent forms
in one or two characters of great morphological interest. In the specimen des-
cribed below from the Coal Measures of Sparth, belonging to the collection of
Mr. F. Holt, the sterna of the fourth, fifth, and sixth segments of the opisthosoma
end posteriorly in a pair of widely rounded laminate lobes, which are separated by
a median angular notch and manifestly overlap the anterior portion of the sterna
that succeed them. I am unable to say whether the sternum of the third was
similarly constructed ; possibly not, since it was evidently covered to a great extent
by the pectines of the second sternal plate, which was of large size—much larger,
indeed, than in any recent species. Moreover, the basal segments of the legs of
the fourth pair do not apparently abut against the sternal plate of the prosoma,
as in existing Scorpions, but against the sides of the genital operculum, a feature
quite unknown in existing species, in which the coxe of the third and fourth legs
are united to form a wedge-shaped skeletal piece diverging obliquely backwards
and outwards from the sternum of the prosoma. The figures published by Fritsch
of the types of Hobuthus rakovnicensis and of Isobuthus kralupensis seem to agree
9
a
10 TERRESTRIAL CARBONIFEROUS ARACHNIDA.
with Mr. Holt’s example in the mode of attachment of the coxa in question; but
even if in these specimens the sclerites on each side of the genital operculum do
not, as figured by Fritsch, belong to the fourth leg, the presence of sclerites on each
side of this plate is a feature unknown in modern Scorpions, where the operculum
is the sole trace of appendages of the first segment of the opisthosoma. These
sclerites, therefore, are of great morphological interest, whatever mterpretation be
put upon them. It is possible, indeed, that they must be compared with the
lateral plates of the genital segment present apparently in the Silurian Scorpion L
described as Paleophonus hunteri' (Quart. Journ. Micr. Sci., 1902, p. 291, pl. 19).
The peculiarities above described do not, however, exist in all Carboniferous
Scorpions. In one of the specimens described below under the heading Anthraco-
scorpio buthiforinis the sternum of the prosoma, the coxv of the third and fourth
lees, and the genital operculum appear to be in structural agreement with the same
pieces in recent Scorpions; and there is no evidence that they are differently
arranged in the example in the British Museum which I identify as Anthracoscorpio
sparthensis. The species described by Peach as Moscorpius euglyptus and glaber
also seem to fall into line with recent types im the particulars named; and
Fritsch’s figure of Cyclophthalmus senior is susceptible of the same interpretation.
Hence it seems that the Carboniferous Scorpions are divisible into two groups,
one of which is inseparable on broad structural limes from recent species. The
if
terms “ Anthracoscorpi”’ and “ Neoscorpi”’ cease, therefore, to be applicable.
Although it is impossible to assign all the described Carboniferous species to one
or the other of these groups, it appears to me that the characters by which the
two are distinguished are too important and interesting to be ignored in a classi-
fication of this order. I propose, therefore, the term Lobosterni for those with
bilobed, posteriorly-laminate sternal plates on the opisthosoma and skeletal plates,
whether belonging to the fourth leg or not, on each side of the genital operculum ;
and the term Orthosterni for those agreeing apparently with recent Scorpions in
the structure of the plates in question. In this monograph Mobuthus belongs to
the Lobosterm, and Cyclophthalinus, Archeoctonus and Authracoscorpio to the
Orthostermi, Paleomachus being of doubtful position. Of exotic genera, Microlabis
seems to be referable to the Orthosterni, IJsobuthus to the Lobosterni, while
Hoscorpius and Mazoniw cannot be classified. Probably a special group should be
created for Mazoiia if the extant restoration of the genus be accurate.
The determination of the genera has been a matter of great difficulty, because
I have been compelled to rely mostly upon the figures and descriptions published
by Fritsch, whose acquaintance with the morphology of recent Scorpions is
1 According to Mr. R. Dunlop (Ann. Glenfield Rambler, No. 2, 1898, pp. 60—64) this Silurian
Scorpion was named Palzeophonus caledonicus by Dr. Peach. I do not know where Dr. Peach described
it under that name; and possibly Mr. Dunlop, writing from memory, has confused this species with
Glyptoscorpius caledonicus. Provisionally, therefore, I retain hunteri as the specific designation.
SCORPIONES. 11
evidently not sufficiently intimate to inspire confidence in the accuracy of his
interpretations of the fossils, This fact, coupled with the imperfect preservation
of many specimens, makes the classification of the British species, put forward in
the following monograph, provisional in many respects. I hope, at least, that it
may help those who come after me to improve upon the system here proposed.
All the British species of Carboniferous Scorpions hitherto described have
been referred to the genus Moscorpius, Meek and Worthen, which was based upon
a single species, 1. carbonarius, from Mazon Creek, Illinois (Amer. Journ. Sci., ser.
2, vol xlv, 1868, p. 560). The chele are unknown; but the last tergal plate of
the abdominal portion of the opisthosoma is of quite unusual length as compared
with the other terga and with the carapace, which appears to be short. The
second and third caudal segments, moreover, are long, being much longer than
wide, suggesting that the entire tail must have been at least four times, and was
very probably five times, as long asthe carapace. Since none of the British species
in which these skeletal pieces are known, agree with Moscorpius carbonarius,
they cannot be assigned to the genus. Scudder has suggested that Mazonia
woodiana, from the same beds as Hoscorpius carbonarius, may be synonymous with
it. This view, however, cannot on the evidence be entertained; because, if
correctly drawn, the former is unique in having either a segmented carapace or
eight dorsal shields, possibly, indeed, nine, according to Fritsch, between the head-
shield and the tail. The ocular tubercle, moreover, is situated almost at the
anterior border of the carapace, and the humerus and brachium of the chela are
remarkably long and slender. Since none of the British species present these
characters, Mazonia, like Moscorpius, need not be further considered in this
monograph.
The European species, excluding those described by Dr. Peach from Scotland
which are omitted from Fritsch’s monograph, are referred by this author to the
following genera: Cyclophthalmus, Corda; Microlabis, Corda; Isvbuthis, Fritsch ;
Fobuthus, Fritsch; Feistmantelia, Fritsch; and Hoscorpius, M. and W. Anthraco-
scorpio, Kusta, is rejected by Fritsch as based upon an immature specimen of
Bobuthus; and Hoscorpius is included for the reception of the species described by
Dr. Woodward as FH. anglicus.
Microlabis, possessing only one species, namely, M. sternbergi, Corda, differs
from all the other European genera, so far as is known, in the structure of
the chele, which have the brachium long, parallel-sided, and prismatic, the hand
or manus short and very narrow, without any bulge on its inner edge, and with
no concavity at the base of the immovable digit, which, like the movable, is long,
stout, and straight, the two resembling the blades of scissors, the movable being
more than half as wide as the hand. This genus, therefore, may be set on one
side. So also must Feistinantelia, based upon a single character, the tuberculation
of the pectines. This is probably the same feature as that described by Dr. Peach
12 TERRESTRIAL CARBONIFEROUS ARACHNIDA.
in several Scottish species, referable to more than one genus, as ‘ embossed scale-
like pattern.” It is not known whether Cyclophthalmus possessed this character
or not.
A glance at Peach’s figures of Scottish Carboniferous Scorpions shows that at
least two genera must be admitted. One of the species, described as Hoscorpius
euglyptus, has the large cheliceree and stout chele of Cyclophthalmus, and I am
unable to say that it does not belong to that genus. Hoscorpius glaber, on the
contrary, is a totally different form ; and it also differs in the shortness of its legs
and the structure of its chele from all the other Huropean genera where these
organs are known. For this I propose a new generic name, Archexoctonus. A
third British genus seems to be represented by the species described as Hoscorpius
anglicus by Dr. Henry Woodward. The remaining British species are, for reasons
discussed below, assigned to the genera Anthracoscorpiv, Kusta, and Mobuthus,
Fritsch.
The subjoined table shows the main features by which these genera may be
tentatively distinguished from each other :
a. Hand of chele wide and oval, greatly exceeding the brachium in width; fingers very
short, the movable about equal to the width of the hand. [Caudal segments
apparently very short and broad and not sensibly increasing in length posteriorly ;
lees and sterna unknown.| . : ; : . Palexomachus.
. Hand of chele wide or narrow, but at most only exceeding by a little the width of
the brachium ; fingers, except perhaps in Hobuthus, long, the movable much longer
than the width of the hand.
b. Legs exceedingly short, the fourth, when extended, not reaching the end of
the abdominal portion of the opisthosoma; its femur much shorter than
the carapace. [Sterna of abdomen with straight posterior borders ; coxee
of third and fourth legs apparently abutting against the sternum of the
prosoma.| . ‘ ; : : : . Archeoctonus.
b’. Legs of normal length, the fourth, when extended, surpassing the posterior
end of the abdomen ; its femur about as long as the carapace.
c. Coxe of third and fourth legs abutting against the sternum of the
prosoma ; the posterior border of the sterna of the fourth, fifth,
and sixth segments of the opisthosoma straight or nearly so.
d. Chel heavy and massive, with stout, strong fingers.
Cyclophthalmus.
d'. Chele comparatively light and slender, with thin fingers.
Anthracoscorptio.
c. Coxe of legs of third pair abutting against the sternum of the
prosoma, those of the fourth against the genital operculum ; sterna
of fourth, fifth, and sixth segments of opisthosoma markedly
bilobate and laminate posteriorly. : : . Hobuthus.
HKOBUTHUS. 13
Genus EOBUTHUS, Fritsch.
1904, Hobuthus, A. Fritsch, Paleeoz. Arachn., p. 72 (in part).
This genus was based by Fritsch on two Carboniferous Scorpions from Bohemia,
one in the museum at Prague, the other in the British Museum. Both were named
HH. vakovnicensis. The specimen at Prague I have not seen; but if Fritsch’s
restoration of it approaches accuracy, the fossil cannot be assigned to the same
genus as that in the British Museum. One great difference between them lies in
the structure of the chelw, the movable digit in the Prague specimen being much
shorter than the length of the hand or manus, and only a little exceeding its
breadth,whereas in the British Museum specimen the length of the movable digit
greatly exceeds both the length and breadth of the hand. Moreover, the structure
of the sternal surface of the prosoma in the Prague specimen is quite abnormal in
the circumstance, that the coxe of the legs of the last pair appear to abut against
the genital operculum, those of the third pair alone running up to the sternal plate
of the prosoma. In the British Museum specimen, on the contrary, so far as I can
judge, the coxee of these appendages are quite normal in their mode of attachment
to the body. This specimen, in fact, appears to be a normal Scorpion in every
respect, except that the sternal plates of the fifth and sixth segments of the opistho-
soma are seemingly slightly lobate posteriorly with a shallow median notch.
Since the diagnosis of Hobuthus was taken, mainly, at all events, from the
specimen at Prague, I propose to regard that specimen as the type of H. vrakovni-
censis. Different names, both generic and specific, must therefore be found for the
example in the British Museum.
According to Fritsch the generic name Anthiacoscorpio was given by Kusta to
a Scorpion named A. juvenis, which is the young of Hobuthus rakoviicensis. Tf this
be so Fritsch had no right, according to the accepted rules of nomenclature, to
assign new generic and specific names to the fossils in question. But the figure
he published of the type of Anthracoscorpio juvenis cannot, according to his inter-
pretations, represent the young of the typical HMobuthus vakovnicensis as here
understood. It may, however, represent the young of the form in the British
Museum. At all events the two specimens are likely enough to be congeneric.
I propose, therefore, to assign the specimen in the British Museum to the genus
Anthracoscorpio; and since I cannot, on the available evidence, separate this
specimen specifically from the type of Hoscorpius sparthensis (cf. infra, p. 20), it
may take for the time being the name Anthracoscorpio sparthensis.
I have seen only one British Scorpion which appears to agree with the type of
Hobuthus rakovnicensis in the mode of attachment of the posterior limbs to the body.
This I propose to name as follows:
14. TERRESTRIAL CARBONIFEROUS ARACHNIDA.
Eobuthus holti, sp. nov. Plate I, fig. 2; Text-figure Ile
The sternum of the prosoma is semi-elliptical, convex, rounded in front and
truncated behind. Abutting against it on each side there is a large coxal segment
belonging to the legs of the third or fourth pairs. Following the sternum there is
a conspicuous bivalved genital operculum resembling in a general way that of
recent Scorpions; and on each side of this there appears to be a segment (or
segments) of a limb, which does not, however, resemble the coxa of the fourth lee
in recent Scorpions, which always abuts against the sternum of the prosoma. If
it does not belong to the fourth leg, I can only suggest that it represents the
external ramus of a pair of appendages belonging to the genital segment, the
Fra. 1.—Eobuthus holti, sp. n.; partially restored and slightly magnified from the type specimen.—Coal
Measures; Sparth, near Rochdale. F. Holt Collection. ca., coxa of 3rd leg, possibly fused coxe of
8rd and 4th legs; g., genital operculum; yect., one of the pectines, its exact structure being
doubtful; scl., sclerites abutting against genital operculum and probably representing either the basal
seements of a lee of the 4th pair or the lateral ramus of the appendage of the Ist somite of the
opisthosoma; st., sternum of prosoma; st. pect., sternum of pectinal somite; st. 3 to st. 7, st rma
of the 8rd to the 7th somites of the opisthosoma, the exact shape of the 3rd being doubtful.
two halves of the genital operculum being the internal rami. In this connection
it must be remembered that the genital operculum of Linudus polyphenvus consists
of a pair of inner and a pair of outer branches or rami. Behind the genital
operculum follows a moderately large plate, much wider behind than in front. This
is the sternum to which the pectines are attached. One of the latter attached to its
posterior border is traceable, but the details of its structure, apart from its shape
and the presence of numerous small teeth, are too faint to figure or describe with
assurance.
Of the five posterior sterna of the abdominal portion of the opisthosoma, the
first appears to be rather small and to be overlapped by the sternum and pectines
of the segment in front of it. I cannot find evidence that its posterior border is
bilobed ; but the posterior borders of the three succeeding sterna are markedly
EKOBUTHUS. 15
laminate and bilobed; the lobes are semicircular and considerably overlap the
anterior portion of the sterna behind them. No such laminate lobes are found on
the last sternal plate of the abdominal portion of the opisthosoma; this sternum is
exactly like that of recent Scorpions and has a pair of abbreviated granular crests.
The interest of these laminate lobes on the sterna which belong morphologically to
the fourth, fifth and sixth segments of the opisthosoma, lies in their general
resemblance to the gill-bearing appendages of the same segments in Limulus. I
can find no trace of stigmata upon these sterna; hence I suppose that the respira-
tory lamellz lay beneath them as they do in Liiwwlus. In possessing these lobate
sternal plates, the Scorpion now described is more like Limulus than is the
Silurian Scorpion Palxophonus; and it supplies one more valuable link im the
chain of evidence pointing to affinity between the Scorpions and Xiphosuree.
The fragments of limbs of the prosoma that remain resemble those of recent
Scorpions, and offer nothing specially worthy of comment.
Measurements in mm.—Votal length from anterior end of sternum of prosoma
to posterior end of last abdominal segment of opisthosoma about 41; length of
coxa abutting against sternum 11; length of the sternum 4, width about 3°5; width
of genital operculum 4:5, length 3:5; length of sternum of pectinal segment 4,
anterior width 4, posterior width 9°5; length of pecten about 9; width of penulti-
mate sternal plate of abdomen 21; length at the side nearly 9.
A single specimen from Sparth, near Rochdale, in the collection of Mr. F. Holt.
This specimen shows the ventral surface of the abdominal portion of the
opisthosoma, part of the ventral surface of the prosoma, and portions of some of
the limbs.
So far as can be judged, this specimen differs from that of H. rakovnicensis in
being larger and in having the sternal plate of the pecten-bearing segment
relatively much larger. In Ff. valoviicensis the length from the sternum of the
prosoma to the end of the abdominal portion of the opisthosoma is probably about
34mm. In £. holti, the same area, although contracted, is 41 mm.; and in the
latter the length of the sternum of the prosoma is about equal to that of the sternal
plate of the pectines, while it is much less than half its posterior width. In LH.
rakovnicensis, on the contrary, the sternum of the prosoma is longer than the
sternum of the pectines and half its posterior width. I have no doubt that many
more differences will be discovered when better material is available for
examination.
I provisionally refer to this species a specimen from the Shipley claypit in Dr.
Moysey’s collection. It consists of the abdominal portion of the opisthosoma,
showing the terga, some of the sterna, and a considerable portion of one of the
legs of the last pair. The segments, however, are apparently telescoped to a
considerable extent, thus appearing to be very much shorter than they are in
reality. The tergum and sternum of the last segment of the abdominal portion
16 TERRESTRIAL CARBONIFEROUS ARACHNIDA.
are wonderfully well preserved. ‘The tergum bears many scattered coarse granules,
has coarsely granular lateral margins, and a pair of coarsely granular longitudinal
keels lying slightly obliquely, each keel being rather nearer to the lateral edge than
to its fellow of the opposite side; the sternum, on the other hand, is smooth
except for two coarsely granular longitudinal keels, one on each side of the middle
line. The sterna in front of this are not sufficiently well preserved for me to state
definitely that they were laminate and lobate posteriorly as in Mr. Holt’s
specimen, but there are indications that this was so.
Measurements in mm.—Total length of abdominal portion of opisthosoma
(contracted) 28; width of the same (distended) 22; width of tergum of the last
segment 17, of sternum 20; length of femur of fourth leg 13, of patella 11, of
tibia 11.
According to Fritsch’s restoration, the type of Jsobuthus, I. kvalupensis, Thorell
and Lindstrém, resembles Hobuthus rakovnicensis in the mode of attachment of the
coxee of the lees of the third and fourth pairs to the body. It also appears to have
the posterior margin of the sterna of the fourth, fifth and sixth segments of the
opisthosoma bilobate and mesially notched, as in Mr. Holt’s specimen described
above. On the evidence, therefore, Isobuthus must be assigned to the same group
of Scorpions as Holuthus; but according to the figures published by Fritsch,
Isobuthus has tolerably normal chele with the movable finger greatly exceeding in
length both the length and breadth of the hand. Since the chele are unknown in
Mr. Holt’s specimen, it is possible that the species it represents may be congeneric
with Isobuthus kralupensis.
Genus PALEZOMACHUS, noy.
1876. Koscorpius, H. Woodward (in part), Quart. Journ. Geol. Soc., vol. xxxii, p. 58, pl. viii.
Generic Characters—Hand broad and oval, its width greatly exceeding that
of the brachium, its length exceeding that of the fingers, which are short and in
contact when closed, the length of the immovable digit about equal to the width
of the hand. Caudal segments short and stout, apparently about as long as they
are wide or high, and not progressively increasing in length from the base to the
tip of the tail.
Type Species—LHoscorpius anglicus, H. Woodward.
Paleomachus anglicus (H. Woodward). 'Text-figure 2.
1876. Eoscorpius anglicus, H. Woodward, Quart. Journ. Geol. Soc., vol. xxxii, p. 58, pl. vill, fig. 3
(type), also t gs. 1 and 2.
3 :
The type species of this genus was based upon three specimens, namely, the
extremity of a chela from Mansfield in Nottinghamshire, five caudal segments
ARCHAOCTONUS. 17
from the same locality and horizon, and an entire tail from the Sandwell Park
Colliery, Birmingham. It is not unlikely that the tail from Mansfield belonged to
an example of the same species as the owner of the chela, from the same locality ;
and this tail is structurally closely similar to the one from Birmingham. Dr.
Woodward, therefore, was perfectly justified in referring the three to the same
species. In this I propose to follow his example until evidence to the contrary is
fortheoming. Nevertheless, in view of the possibility of the chela and caudal
segments from Mansfield belonging to different species, perhaps to different genera,
it seems advisable to select one of the specimens as the type of the species. I
select, therefore, the chela, because the species may be distinguished at once from
all other Carboniferous Scorpions in which the chela is known, by the shape and
proportions of the segments of this appendage.
Fia. 2.—Paleomachus anglicus (Woodward) ; copied from Quart. Journ. Geol. Soc., vol. xxxii, pl. vill.
a., chela from Mansfield ; b., five caudal segments from Mansfield ; c., entire tail from Sandwell Park.
The only Carboniferous Scorpion described with fingers as short as in P.
anglicus is the type of Hobuthus rakovnicensis, Fritsch. Assuming that the figure
and description published by Fritsch are correct, P. anglicus cannot be assigned
to the genus Hobuthus, because in the type species of the latter the hands are
much longer than the digits, and a little narrower than the brachium.
Genus ARCHAOCTONUS, nov.
1883. Eoscorpius, Peach (in part), Trans. Roy. Soe. Edinb., vol. xxx, p. 398.
teneric Characters.—Distinguishable, so far as is known, from all other genera
of Carboniferous, as well as of recent Scorpions, by the extreme shortness of the
legs, those of the fourth pair, when extended, not nearly attaiming the posterior
extremity of the abdominal portion of the opisthosoma (pre-abdomen). The
individual segments of the legs are not very unequal in length, and the femur of
the fourth is much shorter than the carapace. The hand of the chela is small,
3
18 TERRESTRIAL CARBONIFEROUS ARACHNIDA.
narrow, scarcely at all inflated, about the width of the preceding segment
(brachium), and the back of the hand is only about half the length of the movable
digit; the digits are straight and in contact when closed, and the immovable is
markedly bent, at the tip.
Type Species.—LKoscorpius glaber, Peach.
In the structure of its post-oral appendages this Scorpion is very peculiar.
Judging from Peach’s figure the chelz differ structurally from those of all known
species, living or extinct, especially in the straightness of the fingers, the narrow,
nearly parallel-sided, but short hand, and the extreme shortness of the brachium.
The possibility of Peach having made a mistake over this last feature im his
restoration has influenced my decision to leave it out of the diagnosis It must
not, however, on that account be forgotten, as might well be the case seeing that
no mention of the peculiarity is to be found in the text. Nor was the author
Fia. 3.—Arch@octo.us glaber (Peach) ; copied from Trans. Roy. Soc. Elinh., vol. xxx, pl. xxii, fig. 2b, nat. size.—
Lower Carboniferous ; Langholm. A. Macconochie Collection.
struck, apparently, by the anomalous structure of the ambulatory limbs, which his
drawings show so well. Another interesting feature not referred to is the
presence of a single pedal spur on the terminal joint of the legs, a feature in which
this Scorpion resembles the genera beloneine to the existing family Scorpionide.
5 5S fo) feo}
Archeoctonus glaber (Peach). Text-figure 3.
1883. Hoscorpius glaber, B. N. Peach, Trans. Roy. Soc. Edinb., vol. xxx, p. 400, pl. xxii, figs. 2—2 1.
Integument smooth, without tubercles. Total length probably about 50 mm.,
carapace 9 mm., last abdominal + first caudal seement 7 mm., movable digit
8 mm., back of hand 3 mm., width of hand 4 mm., of brachium 3 mm.
Based on two specimens, the type from near the Cementstone Group of
the Lower Carboniferous, Langholm, Dumfriesshire, the other from the Caleci-
ferous Sandstone Series at Redhall, near Slateford, Edinburgh.
CYCLOPHTHALMUS. ig)
Archzoctonus tuberculatus (Peach).
2Q9 Arya Ais seer ot ‘ : pd6
1883. Hoscorpius tuberculatus, B. N. Peach, Trans. Roy. Soc. Edinb., vol. xxx, p- 398, pl. xxiii,
figs. 8—8 h.
Possibly not belonging to the genus Archeoctonus, since the ambulatory
appendages are unknown and the chelew unfigured and indifferently described.
Specifically A. twherculatus differs from A. glaler in having the terga of the
abdominal portion dotted with small tubercles, and ornamented with two rows of
larger tubercles along the posterior margin.
Total length supposed to be about 62 mm.
This species was based upon several pieces obtained from the Coal Measures at
Blair Point, near Dysart, and from the Calciferous Sandstone Series from Redhall
and Cramond, near Edinburgh.
Genus CYCLOPHTHALMUS, Corda.
1835. Cyclophthalmus, A. J. C. Corda, Verh. Ges. Mus. Bohm., p. 36.
1904. Cyclophthalmus, A. Fritsch, Paleoz. Arachn., pp. 65—68.
For reasons already given (p. 12) this genus is here recorded for the reception
of the Scorpion described by Peach as Hoscorpius euglyptus.
Cyclophthalmus euglyptus (Peach). Text-figure 4.
1883. Hoscorpius euglyptus, B. N. Peach, Trans. Roy. Soc. Edinb., vol. xxx, pp. 402—404, pl. xxii,
figs. 3 to 3d.
This species was based on a single specimen obtained near the base of the
Cementstone Group, Calciferous Sandstone (Lower Carboniferous), near Langholm,
Dumfriesshire, in Scotland. The ventral surface of the prosoma, with complete
chelicerze and chele and incomplete walking legs, is exposed, the structure of the
cox, sternum, genital operculum and pectines being well shown.
The cheliceree and chelz are large, the chele being heavy and massive; the
hand is ovally elongate in profile view, considerably longer than wide, and a little
wider than the brachium; the fingers are arcuate and basally lobate, the movable
being but little longer than the back of the hand. The sternum is pentagonal ;
the pectines are large and ornamented with squamiform sculpture.
Judging from Peach’s restoration the measurements in mm. of the chelx are as
follows :
20 TERRESTRIAL CARBONIFEROUS ARACHNIDA.
Length of humerus 13, of brachium 11, of back of hand 12, of movable
finger 12°5; width of hand 75, of brachium 7.
(. senior, the type of the genus Cyclophthalmus, certainly differs from UC.
euglyptus in haying the hand shorter, the movable digit being much longer than the
back of the hand. So far as size is concerned, the two Scorpions are much alike.
Fig. 4.—Cyclophthalmus euglyptus (Peach) ; copied from Trans. Roy. Soc, Edin., vol. xxx, pl. xxii, fig. 3 a,
nat. size-—Lower Carboniferous ; Langholm. A. Macconochie Collection.
The length of C. sentor, without the tail, is about 44 mm.; with the tail it would
be probably between 80 and 90 mm.
Genus ANTHRACOSCORPIO, Kusta.
1888. Anthracoscorpio, J. Kusta, SB. k. bohm. Ges. Wiss., p. 202.
1904. Anthracoscorpio, A. Fritsch, Paleoz. Arachn., p. 75.
1904. Eobuthus, A. Fritsch, Paleoz. Arachn., p. 72 Gn part).
1904. Hoscorpius, W. Baldwin and W. H. Sutcliffe, Quart. Journ. Geol. Soc., vol. lx, pp. 395—398.
Characters as enumerated above (p. 12).
Anthracoscorpio sparthensis (Baldwin and Sutcliffe).
1904. Hobuthus rakovnicensis, A. Fritsch, Paleeoz. Arachn., p. 74, text-fig. 91, and pl. xu, figs. 1—3
(nec text-figs. 90 and 92, and pl. xu, figs. 1 and 2).
1904. Hoscorpius sparthensis, W. Baldwin and W. H. Sutcliffe, Quart. Journ. Geol. Soc., vol. lx, p.
396, fig. 2.
Messrs. Baldwin and Sutcliffe appear to have compared the type of A.
sparthensis with the example in the British Museum described by Fritsch as
Hobuthus rakovnicensis. On the evidence I do not agree that the two specimens
can be regarded as specifically distinct; nevertheless, for reasons given above
ANTHRACOSCORPIO. 21
(p. 13) the name sparthensis must be retained. The characters relied upon for
separating sparthensis as a distinct species are: (1) A difference of 1 mm. in total
length; (2) a shorter and narrower abdomen; (3) shorter caudal segments ; (4) a
narrower hand.
Since Scorpions vary in size both individually when adult and according to
age, the first character clearly has no value. The second may be similarly dismissed
because the length and girth of the abdomen vary enormously in accordance with
the degree of repletion of this region with food or embryos; it is usually, moreover,
narrower and shorter in males than in females. The third character appears to
me to have no foundation in fact, so far as I can judge from the rough sketch of
the type of 1. sparthensis which I made for Mr. Baldwin when he asked my advice
about the specimen, and which he reproduced in his paper. Finally, as regards
the hand of H. sparthensis, its apparent narrowness is simply due to the fact that
it is axially rotated to a greater degree so that the movable digit is concealed by
the immovable. Hands of scorpions are always narrower in this position than
when resting so as to display the movable digit from the dorsal side. __
The type of H. sparthensis, measuring about 74 mm. in total length, is imbedded
in an ironstone nodule from the Middle Coal Measures of Sparth Bottom, near
Rochdale in Lancashire. It is in the Manchester Museum. The Bohemian
example in the British Museum measures about 75mm. According to my observa-
tions upon this specimen, Fritsch’s drawings of it on pl. xn of his monograph
are inaccurate, notably, for example, in the curvature of the immovable digits of
the chelee.
Anthracoscorpio dunlopi, sp. nov. Plate I, fig. 1; Text-figure 5.
Of large size, approximately equalling the length of the largest known species
of the order. Carapace approximately as long apparently as the humerus or
brachium or movable digit of the chela, and not very much shorter than the sum
of the first and second caudal segments. Its exact length, however, 1s uncertain,
because the posterior border is not defined, and the portions I interpret as the
frontal lobes may possibly be the basal segments of the chelicerae. Since, however,
these lobes are sculptured with longitudinal grooves, and the basal segments of
the chelicerze in recent Scorpions are polished so as to slide beneath the carapace,
I judge the pieces in question to belong to the carapace. If this be correct the
anterior border is emarginate, with a median notch from which a well-defined
furrow-like groove extends backwards to the ocular tubercle, becoming shallower
posteriorly. The tubercle is elongate, pointed behind and situated nearly in the
middle of the carapace. The two eyes are indistinctly defined. No trace of
lateral eyes has been preserved. Behind the tubercle a groove extends backwards
towards the posterior border. On the left side of the posterior half of the
22 TERRESTRIAL CARBONIFEROUS ARACHNIDA.
carapace a longitudinal groove runs obliquely backwards and inwards, its anterior
extremity starting at a point nearly on a level with the posterior end of the ocular
tubercle. The posterior portion of the carapace on each side of the median groove
is distinctly but irregularly granular.
The abdominal terga are granular, but there is no evidence that they
possessed either median or lateral crests. They appear to be perfectly normally
constructed. The posterior borders of the first, second and third are not clearly
Fig. 5.—Anthracoscorpio dunlopi, sp. n.; suggested restoration of the type specimen, approximately
nat. size, with the abdominal somites contracted.—Upper Coal Measures; Drumeray. R. Dunlop
Collection.
defined; those of the fourth, fifth, sixth and seventh are more distinct, especially
that of the sixth. The seventh tergal plate is a little longer than half the length
of the carapace, its posterior width exceeding half its anterior width.
Of the tail only the anterior four segments and a portion of the fifth are
preserved. It is nearly parallel-sided, the first seement being a little wider than
the second, and the second than the third and fourth, the two last being approxi-
mately equal in width. The second, third, and fourth segments are almost equal
in length, being a little longer and a little narrower than the first. The structure
of the segments is normal, each being marked in the middle line by a shallow
groove ; the superior crests are small and distinctly and evenly granular, but in no
ANTHRACOSCORPIO. 23
sense denticulated; the supero-lateral crests are similarly granular, and granules
are irregularly scattered over the areas between the crests.
The cheliceree are not well preserved, no details. of the dentition being
decipherable ; but the movable digit appears to be stronely arcuate.
The chele are long and slender, somewhat recalling those of Chelifer cancroides.
The humerus and brachium are subequal in length, and both, broadly speaking,
about four times as long as wide. No trace of crests or granulation is preserved.
The manus is slender and oval, its width being a little greater than that of the
brachium, and httle more than half the length of the back of the manus. The
digits are slender, normally arcuate, the movable being about as long as the
carapace, brachium, or humerus.
Portions of all the legs are preserved, showing the normal structure. Evidence
for the existence of tibial spurs is to be found on the fourth and fifth legs, as in
many genera of existing Buthide; but there also appears to be one on the first lee
—a character not present in any recent species of the order. On the second
leg of one side a pedal spur is also preserved. The femora, patelle, tibiae and
protarsi are crested, and the femora at least are beaded with granules along their
upper and lower edges. The claws are not preserved.
APPROXIMATE MEASUREMENTS IN MM. OF TYPE SPECIMEN.
Length of carapace : : . 20?
ra abdomen , : . 40
D caudal segments 1 to 4 . . 00
i entire tail probably not less than 70
a entire animal ,, 5 pee ali)
. first caudal segment . . 105; width of same . I1
5 second ,, aa : 5 lleie ee af » 10:5
ar third ,, Be ; 5 diese RS .; . 10
es fourth ,, 9 : a UB: be i . 10
a humerus : ; > Bil
3 brachium : ; . 20; width of brachium . 5
- back of the hand : Oh Ofshand! 6
sa movable digit. : 20
In the above-given table the probable total length of the tail has been guessed
from the length of the fourth segment, 20 mm. being allowed for the fifth
segment and the vesicle, which are not preserved. These two missing segments
were probably not less, and may have been more than the amount supposed, since
the fifth caudal sezment is never shorter and is usually longer than the fourth in
living Scorpions.
The type and only known specimen of this species is contained on the two
pieces. of a split shale from the Upper Coal Measures of Drumgray, near Airdrie,
in Scotland. It is in the possession of Mr. R. Dunlop, to whom I have dedicated
24. TERRESTRIAL CARBONIFEROUS ARACHNIDA.
the species in acknowledgment of his kindness in sending it to me for
description.
The type of this species approaches twice the length of the type specimen of
A. sparthensis. It also differs in its proportions, the tail being longer and the
manus of the chelanarrower. In A. sparthensis, for instance, the first four segments
of the tail only exceed twice the length of the carapace by about one-third of its
length, the carapace being approximately as long as the first and second segments
together, whereas in A. dunlopi the first four caudal segments exceed twice the length
of the carapace by at least half its length, and the carapace is distinctly shorter than
the first two caudal segments so far as can be judged. In A. sparthensis, again,
the width of the manus is nearly half the length of the movable digit, while in 4.
dunlopi it is rather less than one-third of the length. The smaller size of the
example of A. sparthensis, coupled with the shorter tail, might be attributed to
immaturity, were it not that the two known examples of this species are approxt-
mately equal in size and have all the appearances, judging from the firmness of
the exoskeleton, of being adult. Moreover, the hands of the chele in young
Scorpions are relatively narrower than in full-grown examples. Hence their
ereater relative width in A. sparthensis as compared with A. dunlopi is quite
irreconcilable with the conclusion that the former specific name has been assigned
to young examples of the latter species. or these reasons I have not hesitated to
describe Mr. Dunlop’s specimen as an example of a distinct species. This
specimen was for some time in the possession of Dr. Peach, who made a drawing
of it in close agreement with my own restoration. This drawing, accompanied by
a short account, was published by Mr. Dunlop in the Annals of the Glenfield
Rambler, No. 2, pp. 60—64, 1898, but no name appears to have been assigned
to the specimen.
Anthracoscorpio buthiformis, sp. nov. Plate I, fig. 2; Plate II, fig. 1; Text-
figures 6—8.
Dorsal integument finely and closely granular; neither the carapace nor the
first six terga of the opisthosoma visibly keeled. Carapace about as long as its
posterior width, its length a little exceeding that of the first and second caudal
segments together, and about equal to that of the second and third, and to the fifth
and half the fourth. The ocular tubercle in the middle of its anterior half;
a shallow median longitudinal groove running from it posteriorly and expanding
and deepening just before the posterior border; the anterior border of the carapace
apparently shghtly convex, perhaps with a small median excrescence ; the posterior
border shghtly convex in the middle. Terga of the abdominal portion of the
opisthosoma showmg the anterior elevated rim, this region, thus distended,
a little more than twice the length of the carapace. Tail, when complete, no
ANTHRACOSCORPIO. 25
doubt a little more than three times the length of the carapace, for without
the post-anal spine it is about twice and a half times the length; segments one to
five gradually increasing in length ; the first segment the widest, much wider than
long, the second and third also wider than long, the fourth about as long as wide,
the fifth longer than wide; the upper surface of the segments normally and
strongly keeled, the superior keels converging on segments one to four, almost
parallel on segment five; the upper surface hollowed between the superior
keels, which, like the superior lateral keels, are granular. Chel slender, humerus
and brachium each much shorter than the carapace, which is slightly shorter than
Fic. 6.—Anthracoscorpio buthiformis, sp. n.; four times nat. size.--Coal Measures; Sparth, near Rochdale.
W. A, Parker Collection.
the manus with its digits. Manus slender, apparently keeled above and slightly
wider than the brachium.
Measurements vi min.—Total leneth, exclusive of post-anal spine and chelicere,
21; length of carapace 3°5, of abdominal portion of opisthosoma 8; of caudal
segments one to five about 10; length of first caudal segment 1°3, of second 1-6,
Of fourth 2, -of fitth 2:5; width of first 2-5, of second 2 +, of fiith 2)—;
length of manus and digits about 4.
Coal Measures of Sparth, near Rochdale.
Type above described in the Collection of Mr. W. A. Parker (PI. I, fig. 1).
I have selected this specimen as the type because it shows the structure of the
dorsal surface very clearly. Only fragments of the legs are preserved, but the
details of the chele of the left side can be deciphered.
4.
26 TERRESTRIAL CARBONIFEROUS ARACHNIDA.
In addition to this specimen I have seen several examples from Dudley,
which, in the absence of satisfactory proof of their distinctness from each other and
from the type, I provisionally refer to this species. With the exception of one
small specimen, which is immature if conspecific with the rest, I judge these
specimens to be mature from the apparent thickness of the exoskeleton. The
species therefore differs from 4A. sparthensis by its much smaller size. In the
type specimen also the tail is shorter, the carapace being half the length of the
first four caudal segments, whereas in A. sparthensis, as testified by the type, the
carapace is less than half that length.
I subjoin the following notes on the examples from the Dudley Coalfield :
(1) Specimen in Mr. Madeley’s Collection showing the chelw, the trochanters,
femora, and part of the patella of the leg of the first, second, and third pairs, the
Fria. 7.—Anthracoscorpio buthiformis, sp. n.; about Fic. 8.—Anthracoscorpio buthiformis, sp. n.; three
three times nat. size-—Coal Measures; Coseley, times nat. size.—Coal Measures; Coseley, near
near Dudley. W. Madeley Collection. Dudley. Wheelton Hind Collection.
greater part of the carapace, of which only the anterior portion is missing, and,
following the carapace, a thin strip representing the first tergal plate of the
opisthosoma. Behind the latter there he, displaced to one side, the fourth, fifth,
sixth, and seventh terga of the opisthosoma, which resemble in a general way the
corresponding plates of Dr. Hind’s specimen (No. 2). The carapace exhibits traces
of the median ocular tubercle in front of its middle, but some distance from its
anterior edge. The chelz are slender, and recall those of some existing members
of the Buthide, the “manus” being narrow, although wider than the brachium ;
the digits are long and slender, and apparently in contact throughout their length,
the movable digit being a little more than twice the length of the back of the hand.
Approximate measurements im mm.—Width of carapace 5:5, of opisthosoma 4;
length of humerus + brachium of chela 6, of manus + digits 5.
(2) Specimen in Dr. Wheelton Hind’s Collection, showing the dorsal surface of
the posterior part of the carapace, seven tergal plates and the first and second
ANTHRACOSCORPIO. 27
caudal segments of the opisthosoma; also fragments of some of the anterior legs
and apparently the maxillary processes of those of the first pair, where the anterior
part of the carapace is missing. Of the fourth lee the trochanter, femur, patella,
and part of the tibia are well exhibited. No trace of eyes is discernible. The
sculpturing of the carapace, terga, and caudal segments is obscured, but the terga
of the opisthosoma show clearly the anterior smooth elevated area which is
normally overlapped in living Scorpions by the posterior border of the plate
in front.
Approximate measurements in min.—Length of abdominal terea of the opistho-
soma 9°95, first tergum 1, third 1°5, fifth 2; width of opisthosoma 5; length of
first and second caudal segments 4; femur of fourth lee 4, patella 3.
(3) Specimen in Mr. Egeinton’s Collection, showing, so far as the trunk is
concerned, nearly the same features as Dr. Hind’s example, the abdominal terea
and two caudal segments of the opisthosoma being preserved. The anterior portion
of the carapace is too much obliterated for description, but the ocular tubercle, in
advance of the middle of this plate, is well shown with its two eyes. Fragments
of appendages are shown on each side of the anterior half of the body, the femur
of the left chela with an anterior granular crest, such as is present in most recent
Scorpions, being preserved.
Approvimate measurements in min.—Total length from anterior end of carapace
to posterior end of abdominal portion of opisthosoma 12, the carapace about 3 5,
the rest 8°5; width of opisthosoma 5; distance of eyes from posterior edge of
carapace 2; length of first caudal segment about 1, width nearly 2.
(4) Specimen in Mr. Egginton’s Collection without tail and with the rest of the
opisthosoma curved upwards as in the act of stinging. The chief interest of this
specimen lies in the fact that the chelicerz are preserved, showing obscurely
the normal forcipate character of these appendages. Fragments of the appen-
dages are obscurely indicated. Length of carapace about 35 mm.
(5) A very small, probably young specimen in Mr. Hgginton’s Collection,
showing the dorsal view of carapace, of the anterior seven terga of the opisthosoma,
and of the base of the tail. Total length (excluding base of tail) about 5 mm.;
length of seven segments of opisthosoma 3°5 mm.; width 2 mm.
(6) Specimen in the British Museum, No. I. 1555 (Pl. I, fig. 2), from Coseley
(Henry Johnson Collection). This example is of peculiar interest, since it shows
portions of the sternal surface of the prosoma. The sternum is pentagonal, with
its posterior border somewhat deeply excised; a little behind the excision hes a
subtriangular genital operculum, and behind this there is a small sclerite repre-
senting the sternal plate of the pectines. Against the sides of the sternum on
one side abut the coxe of the legs of the third and fourth pairs as in existing
Scorpions; and in front of it may be traced faint indications of the coxe, with
their maxillary processes, of the first and second pairs of legs; the maxillary
28 TERRESTRIAL CARBONIFEROUS ARACHNIDA.
J
processes of those of the second pair appear to be exceptionally narrow. Seven
terga of the opisthosoma are shown. These are very broad as compared with their
length; but this may be due to flattening. At all events I do not propose to
attach systematic weight to the character and separate this specimen specifically
or generically from the others here described on the strength of this difference on
the evidence of one specimen. Length of trunk (without tail) about 14 mm.; of
seven segments of opisthosoma 9°5 mm.; width of opisthosoma about 6 mm.
The following fossils of doubtful generic position have also been referred to
the Scorpiones.
(1) Segment of a tail from the Coal Measures of Carluke, Scotland (H. Wood-
ward, Quart. Journ. Geol. Soc., vol. xxxu, pl. vin, fig. 5).
(2) Portion of a carapace referred by Peach to Hoscorpius sp. (Trans. Roy.
Soc. Edinb., vol. xxx, pp. 404—405, pl. xxu, figs. 11 to lla, 1883). The upper
side of the carapace is swollen laterally, the swollen portions being separated by a
median longitudinal groove, and each divided by lateral grooves into three
portions. In front of the median groove hes the median ocular tubercle; lateral
eyes are also described. According to Peach this carapace is intermediate between
that of the species he described as Moscorpius tuberculatus and H. inflatus.
(8) A carapace described by Peach as belonging to a species named Moscorpius
inflatus (Trans. Roy. Soc. Edinb., vol. xxx, pp. 405—406, pl. xxin, figs. 12 to 12 d,
1883). It is described as having the greater portion of its surface puffed up into
three pairs of lobules separated by deep sulci, which emanate from a deep median
longitudinal sulcus.
Peach himself suggests the possibility of this species belonging to the
unclassified genus Cyclus. To a certain extent this author’s descriptions of ZH.
inflatus recall the characters of the carapace of some genera of Anthracomarti,
such as Hophrynus and Kreischeria.
Order PHDIPALPI, Latreille.
Suborder UROPYGI.
Genus GERALINURA, Scudder.
1884. Geralinura, 8. H. Scudder, Proc. Amer. Acad. Arts Sci., vol. xx, p. 19.
1890. Geralinura, 8. H. Scudder, Mem. Bost. Soc. Nat. Hist., vol. iv, p. 454:
1904. Prothelyphonus, A. Fritsch, Palaoz. Arachn., p. 57.
Fritsch established the genus Prothelyphonus upon the species described by Kusta
as Thelyphonus bohemicus and later as Geralinura bohemica, The alleged difference
GERALINURA. | 29
between Prothelyphonus and Geralinura is the segmentation of the carapace in the
latter and its entirety in the former; but since I cannot find any evidence from
Scudder’s figures of the type of Geralinura, namely G. carbonaria, that the carapace
is segmented, I have placed Prothelyphonus as a synonym of Cleralinura, reserving
this name for the Carboniferous species of the Thelyphonidx, not because they
exhibit characters distinguishing them with certainty from existing genera, but
because it is Impossible to be sure that they belone to one or to more than one
existing genus, and because the probabilities are in favour of their distinctness
from all modern types.
No species of this group has hitherto been recorded from Great Britain.
Several specimens, however, are contained in the collections at my disposal,
although the material is, in my opinion, neither sufficiently abundant nor well
preserved to admit of specific differences being with certainty established between
the specimens. Provisionally, therefore, I refer them to one species.
The real interest of the specimens lies in the evidence they afford of the former
existence of these Pedipalpi in Great Britain, and of their close agreement in
structural characters with recent representatives of the suborder. Some of the
Carboniferous specimens, that is to say, the two figured in this Monograph, seem to
differ from modern types in haying the three last segments of the opisthosoma
less sharply marked off from the ninth segment and both wider and longer. But
it is impossible to affirm this character of all extinct forms.
Geralinura britannica, sp. noy. Plate I, fig. 5; Plate II, fig. 3; Text-figure 9.
A species of small size with the dorsal surface covered with coriaceous granula-
tion. Chele rather short and small, the five distal segments together rather
shorter than the carapace. The three terminal segments of the opisthosoma lone,
nearly half the length of the rest of thisregion. Segments of the caudal flagellum
about as wide as long.
Measurements in mm.—Total length from anterior end of carapace to end of the
last segment about 17; length of carapace about 5, width 3:5; total length of
opisthosoma (excluding flagellum) 11°5; width 4°5 ; length of segments two to nine,
8, ten to twelve (caudal portion) 3°5; length of visible portion of chela from base of
femur 4:5.
Coseley, near Dudley.
Type in Mr. Walter Egginton’s Collection, No. 51 (Pl. I, fig. 3).
This collection contains a second and less well-preserved specimen (No. 49)
showing no features justifying its specific distinction from the type; and in Mr.
Madeley’s Collection there is an example from Coseley exhibiting the underside
structurally in agreement, so far as can be seen, with recent forms. Its total
3 TERRESTRIAL CARBONIFEROUS ARACHNIDA.
length is about 15°5 mm., the opisthosoma being 9°5 mm. and the prosoma 6 mm.,
the width of both regions being about 3 mm. ‘There is a distinct spiniform
process at the anterior extremity of the carapace as in certain recent forms, ¢. 9.
Labochirus.
In Dr. Moysey’s Collection there is a specimen from the Shipley Claypit with
the dorsal side exposed (PI. I, fig. 3). The anterior portion of the carapace is
broken away, showing vaguely the coalesced coxee of the chele and the distal
portion of the right chela. Behind the posterior border of the carapace there is a
triangular plate which I regard as the posterior sternal plate of the prosoma, the
exposure of which suggests that the overlying dorsal area was membranous ; on
each side of it may be seen the coxe of the legs of the last pair. Nine terga of
the opisthosoma are clearly discernible, but the three terminal segments of this
Fic. 9.—Geralinura britannica, sp. n.; restoration of ventral surface, three times nat. size —Coal
Measures ; Coseley, near Dudley. W. Madeley Collection.
region are vaguely defined; they appear, however, to be comparatively large both
in leneth and width; the post-anal flagellum is not preserved. Both the carapace
and the terga and lateral membrane of the opisthosoma are granularly coriaceous.
Measurements in mm.—Total length about 20; length of opisthosoma 13, its
leneth, excluding the last three segments, 10, its width 6; length of chela,
excluding coxa, 7.
This specimen is a little larger than the type and has the chele decidedly longer.
The difference in length, however, both of the body and the chela, may be attribut-
able to age; and since the males of recent species very commonly have the chele
much longer than they are in the females, it would be rash to attach specific
importance to the difference observed, even if the type specimen were known to
be fully adult.
¢d
GRAOPHONUS. 31
Suborder AMBLYPYGI.
Genus GRAOPHONUS, Scudder.
1890. Greophonus, 8. H. Scudder, Mem. Bost. Soc. Nat. Hist., vol. iv, p. 453.
Although Scudder referred this genus to the same family of Pedipalpi as
Geralinura, the two genera obviously belong respectively to the two suborders of
the Pedipalpi known as Amblypygi and Uropygi.
Seudder only admitted one species of Greophonus, which he named G.
carbonarius ; but it appears to me to be very doubtful if the two specimens passing
under that name can be referred even to the same genus. The type of carbonarius
is an abdomen from Cape Breton and now in the Museum of the McGill College,
Montreal. It was described as Libellula carbonaria under the belief that it belonged
to a Neuropterous insect. It consists of twelve segments; but these are unlike the
segments of any known Amblypygous Pedipalp, especially in the large size of the
first and second plates. Moreover, the segments from the second to the seventh
inclusive, are marked on each side near the margin by a circular impression. In
the Amblypygi the tergal impressions are remote from the margin. On the other
hand, the specimen from Mazon Creek, Hlinois, upon which the genus Greophonus
was quite clearly based, appears undoubtedly to be a Pedipalp of the suborder
Amblypygi. Although Scudder identified this as G. carbonarius, it cannot, on the
evidence, bear that specific name, as a comparison between the figures of this
specimen (fig. 3, pl. xl, of the above-cited monograph) and the figures of Libellula
carbonaria (pl. xl, figs. 2, 6) will make evident. In the Mazon Creek specimen the
muscular tergal impressions are in agreement with those of a Phryinus; agreement
may also be traced in many other particulars, such as the form of the carapace and
the position of the ocular tubercle and the muscular grooves and pits. Scudder
was, of course, mistaken in describing one of the chelz as complete and nipper-like,
its distal seements being obviously missing. It is in the structure of these appen-
dages that Greophonus differs principally from recent genera of the group. Not
only are they comparatively short and stout, especially with respect to the femoral
segment, but, in addition, the axial rotation, which enables these limbs to fold up im
a horizontal plane in recent forms, appears to be much less marked. They are,
in fact, more porrect and fold in a nearly vertical plane, as was no doubt the case
in primitive members of the Pedipalpi when the chele or palpi presented greater
resemblance to the ambulatory limbs than is found in recent forms. This appears
to me to be the chief character of morphological interest to be detected in
Greophonus. One other distinctive feature may be mentioned. In all the speci-
mens referred to this genus, where the carapace is well preserved, its anterior
area, bearing the median ocular tubercle, is narrow and produced. This is shown
2 TERRESTRIAL CARBONIFEROUS ARACHNIDA.
oo
not only in the examples that I have seen, but also in Scudder’s example from
Mazon Creek, which I propose to call Gravophonus scuddert.
Scudder describes this specimen as punctured. I do not doubt, however, that
it was in reality finely granular.
It is somewhat singular that although only one undoubted specimen of
Greophonus has been discovered in North America, and none have been recorded
from Bohemia, the genus is represented in Britain by many specimens in the
Carboniferous Beds of Staffordshire and South Wales.
Grzophonus anglicus, sp. nov. Plate I, fig. 4.
Carapace approximately as long as wide, cordate, narrowed and produced
anteriorly; the median ocular tubercle rounded, placed near the centre of the
narrowed anterior portion, and defined behind by a crescentic groove; tle area
behind the tubercle rather flat; the median portion of the posterior part of the
carapace a little elevated and marked with three impressions or muscular pits, one
‘median in front and a pair, smaller and shallower, behind; from points on each
side near these impressions radiate three grooves towards the margin. Opisthosoma
elliptical, longer than wide, the terga marked with the normal muscular impres-
sions. The distal end of the femur of the fourth leg, in its natural position,
extending back beyond the extremity of the opisthosoma.
Tibia of palp or chela short, a little more than twice as long as wide, its
length a little exceeding half the length or width of the carapace; its imner
edge apparently armed with two spines; tarsus of chela apparently not less than
half the length of the tibia, and also armed internally with two spines.
Approvimate measurements in mm.—Total length 20; median length of carapace
7'5, lateral length 8°5; greatest width 8°5, width across front on a level with the
ocular tubercle 2°5; length of opisthosoma 11?; length of segments four to nine
75; width of opisthosoma 8°5; length of tibia of chela 4, width 2.
Coseley, near Dudley.
The type, above described, is in the Collection of Mr. Walter Egginton (No. 1).
In addition to the type Mr. Egginton’s Collection contains several examples of
Grxophonus, which I provisionally refer to this species. All are from Coseley.
The following points in them may be noted:
No. 40. Carapace approximately as in the type, the anterior oculiferous
projection clearly shown. The terga of the opisthosoma are granular, and have a
row of coarse granules along the posterior border. This region is narrower as
compared with its length than in the type, the difference being perhaps sexual.
Total length 14 mm., length of carapace 6, width 6:5; length of opisthosoma 8;
femur of fourth leg about 8. Figured in Pl. I, fio. 4.
No. 2 shows more of the appendages than are seen in the type and No. 40, but
HKOCTENIZA. 33
the anterior portion of the carapace is concealed; there is no evidence therefore that
it projected forwards as in the other specimen. The greater portion of the chela
is preserved, and the chelicerw project forwards between their bases as a pair of
slender rods. The cox of the posterior three pairs of legs are to be seen
radiating from the narrow sternal area, and the legs of the second and third pairs
are preserved nearly down to the ends of the tibiz. The femur of the fourth leg
is noticeably shorter than in No. 40. This difference may possibly be a question
of age, the specimen now described being smaller than No. 40. In the chela
the femoral segment appears to be spined internally. Approwimate measurements
in min: Total length 11; median length of carapace 3°5, width 4; length of
opisthosoma 6°5, width 5; leneth of femur of second leg 4, of third 5, of fourth
5°53; coxa and trochanter of chela 2, femur 2, tibia 2°5.
No. 20: Larger than No. 2, but showing almost exactly the same features ; the
femur and tibia of the chela armed internally with a pair of spines. Approvimate
measurements in min.: Total length 15°5; length of carapace 5, width about 6;
length of opisthosoma %, width 6°5; length of femur of second leg 7, of third
75, of fourth 9; length of femur of chela 5, its width 1°8; length of tibia of
chela 4, its width 1:8.
In Mr. Henry Johnson’s Collection from Coseley there is a specimen less well
preserved than those described above and showing no points worthy of special
comment. Its total length is about 13°5 mm., of which the carapace is 5 mm. and
the opisthosoma 8°5 mm.; femur of third leg 6°5 mm.
In the Museum of the Geological Survey, Jermyn Street, there are a well-
preserved opisthosoma, measuring 15 mm. long and 8 mm. wide, and a carapace
measuring 4°5 mm. long and 6 mm. wide, which perhaps belong to the same
species. ‘They were found at the tip of an abandoned shaft (Glasbrook’s) close
to Cadoxton village, one and one-eighth miles north-east of Neath Station in 8.
Wales. There is no reason to suppose that these fragments belong to the same
specimen. It may be noted that this carapace bears considerable resemblance to
that of G. scudderi, but has the produced anterior region larger.
Order ARANHA, Sundevyall.
Suborder MESOTHELAL.
Genus EOCTENIZA, nov.
Generic Characters.—Carapace with its anterior portion somewhat sharply con-
stricted to form a narrow, rounded, elevated, and convex cephalic area, defined
from the large and broadly cordate posterior portion by a pair of shallow grooves,
5
34 TERRESTRIAL CARBONIFEROUS ARACHNIDA.
which nearly meet in the middle line. This cephalic area bears the eyes, arranged
in a transversely elongated, suboblong cluster, near its anterior border. The
posterior area of the carapace is marked with three pairs of radiating grooves,
those of the first pair being short and of the other pairs long; behind the posterior
pair of these there is an angular median depression, the central fovea, from which
passes a posterior pair of grooves. Opisthosoma oval, showing six distinct tergal
plates.
Type Species.
In the Carboniferous genera and species of Aranez with segmented opistho-
Hocteniza silvicola, sp. nov.
soma, namely Arthrolycosa autiqua, Harger, Scudderia carbouaria, Kusta, ? genus
fortis, Fritsch, ? genus beecheri, Fritsch, Holycosa lorenzi, Kusta, Protolycosa anthia-
cophila, Roemer, Geralycosa fritschi, Kusta, and Rakoviicia antiqua, Kusta, there
appears to be no differentiated cephalic area such as is seen in Moctenza. In
Palaranea borassifolia, Fritsch, which its describer, in his last paper, re-named
Arthrolycosa ? palaranea, there is no evidence that the opisthosoma is segmented, and
therefore no reason for assigning the fossil to the genus Arthrolycosa. The type of
Holycosa lorenzi shows only a side view of the animal; but im this genus it appears
that the whole carapace is strongly elevated. It may be added that the species
antiqua, carbonaria, fortis, beecheri, lorenzi, and borassifolia, which Fritsch refers to
the one genus Arthrolycosa, represent at least six genera and possibly as many
families if the drawings are to be trusted.
Eocteniza silvicola, sp. nov. Plate II, fig. 4.
Carapace 5 mm. long, 4 mm. wide ; abdomen about 5 mm. long, 3°5 mm. wide.
Coseley, near Dudley.
Type and only known specimen in the Collection of Mr. Walter Egginton.
Genus ARTHROLYCOSA, Harger.
1874. Arthrolycosa, O. Harger, Amer. Journ. Sci. [3], vol. vii, p. 219.
1889. Arthrolycosa, C. EH. Beecher, Amer, Journ. Sci. [3], vol. xxxvii, p. 219.
T refer with doubt to this genus a fossil (Text-fig. 10)in Dr. Wheelton Hind’s
Collection, which is of very great morphological interest, although its exact syste-
matic position is indeterminable. That it belongs to the order Aranez rather than
to the Pedipalpi, I infer from the shape of the carapace and of the opisthosoma.
The carapace, although imperfect, appears to be about as broad as long, with
nearly straight anterior and posterior borders and evenly convex lateral borders.
It is marked with radial impressions and a somewhat A-shaped median
ARTHROLYCOSA. 35
impression just in front of the posterior border. Faint indications of the
basal segments of the legs are traceable on one side, no trace of the coxee
or sternal area of the prosoma being observable. The opisthosoma is wide,
with its lateral and posterior borders strongly rounded; it is markedly narrowed
in front and is distinctly segmented on its dorsal area, the terga extending across
the whole width of this region from side to side. Of the segmentation of the
greater part of the ventral surface I can affirm nothing with certainty except as
regards the posterior extremity, where two annuliform segments surround the
last or anal segment. The latter, as I interpret the fossil, consists of a transversely
subelliptical tergal plate and of a crescentic sternal plate.
Fic. 10.—? Arthrolycosa, sp.—Coal Measures ; Coseley, near Dudley. Wheelton Hind Collection. a, dorsal
surface of carapace and of opisthosoma, the posterior segments of the latter showing through the
overlying last tergal plate visible on the dorsal side, about four times nat. size; b, terminal
segments of the opisthosoma, about six times nat. size.
Approximate leneth and width of carapace 4 mm.; length of opisthosoma
6 mm.; with 5°5 mm. or possibly less, if this region is expanded by crushing.
Coseley, near Dudley.
The morphological interest of this specimen les principally in the structure of
the posterior segments of the opisthosoma, which are unlike those of all recent
Aranee in being annuliform and firmly chitinised. In this character the fossil
shows a nearer approach to the Pedipalpi, servmg in a measure to bridge the
interval between these two orders, which are admittedly related to one another.
No trace of spinning appendages is to be seen. If they had been close to the anus,
as in all recent Spiders except Liphistius, indication of this would probably have
been preserved. Hence it may be supposed that they were situated somewhere
near the middle of the ventral surface as in the last-named genus.
(sy)
or)
TERRESTRIAL CARBONIFEROUS ARACHNIDA.
Suborder OPISTHOTHELA.
Genus ARCHAOMETA, nov.
Generic Characteis.—Resembling in general form such recent genera as Nephilu
and T'etvagnatha, and possibly, like these, belonging to the family Argyopide. Cara-
pace apparently cordate, narrowed in front. Legs very long and slender, probably
2, 4, 3, 1 in order of length judging by the length of the femora, though possibly
those of the first pair exceeded those of the third by reason of the probably greater
length of their terminal segments. The legs of the first and second paws in most
recent Araneze (Spiders) are subequal in length, but in this Carboniferous genus those
of the second pair greatly exceed those of the first. Femur of third longer than of
first, femur of fourth a little longer than that of second. Abdomen long, apparently
rather longer than femur of fourth leg, but its exact leneth a little doubtful owing
Fic. 11.—Archeometa nephilina, gen. et sp. n.; restoration of the ventral surface, showing the legs as far
as the distal end of the femora and the probable form of the opisthosoma, about two and a half times
nat. size.—Coal Measures; Coseley, near Dudley. W. Eeginton Collection.
to the want of definition of its posterior end; subeylindrical in shape, a little
narrowed posteriorly, ovally convex apparently anteriorly and rather more than
three times as long as wide.
Type Species.—Archeometa nephilina, sp. nov.
The discovery of this Spider is of very great interest, because it puts beyond
reasonable doubt the existence in the Carboniferous epoch of the Arachnomorphe,
which were previously not known to occur earlier than the Oligocene. It is,
perhaps, necessary, however, to qualify this statement in connection with the
genus and species described by Fritsch as Pyritarunea tubifera, which has the
appearance of an Arachnomorphous form. But it is impossible to say much about
this genus because the segmentation of the appendages, as represented by this
author, 1s quite unlike that of any known Arachnid, living or extinct. Assuming
that Pyritaranea was one of the Arachnomorphe, as Fritsch suggests by his refer-
ence to the Clubionide in connection with it, Archeometa certainly differs from
that genus in the greater length of its legs. In Pyritaranea, for example, an
entire leg of the fourth pair only slightly exceeds the abdomen in length, and the
CRYPTOSTEMMIDA. 37
other legs are correspondingly short. The palpi, on the contrary, which are not
shown in the specimen of Archeometu, are of most unusual length.
Archeometa nephilina, sp. nov. Text-figure 11.
Total length about 10 mm.; carapace about 3 mm. long, 2mm. wide ; abdomen
about 7 mm. long, 2 mm. wide; femur, trochanter, and part of coxa of first leg
+ mm., of second leg 7°5 mm., of third leg about 5 mm., of fourth leg 8 mm.
Coseley, near Dudley.
Type and only known specimen in the Collection of Mr. Walter Egeinton.
Order RICINULET, Thorell.
Carapace or dorsal shield of the prosoma unseemented, but with a movable
plate, the cucullus, jointed to its anterior border and overhanging the jaws in front.
Prosoma and opisthosoma united by a jointed waist, often marked by a lateral
constriction. ‘The opisthosoma either not visibly segmented or composed in the
main of three very large segments, the last carrying a small jointed tail-like
process, which is not always exposed; sometimes a shorter segment is visible in
front of the first of the three large segments.
It is needless to give a complete diagnosis of this order, derived from the
existing genera Cryptostemma and Cryptocellus. For this, reference may be made
to Hansen’s and Sorensen’s monograph of 1904. The characters briefly enumerated
above are taken from the known Carboniferous genera, and are sufficient to dis-
tinguish the Ricinulei from the other orders discussed in this Monograph.
Family CryprosteMMip®, Westwood.
1874. Cryptostemmide, J. O. Westwood, Thes. Ent. Oxon., p. 210.
1884. Poliocheride, 8S. H. Scudder, Proc. Amer. Acad. Arts Scz., vol. xx, p. 16.
1890. Poliocheride, 8. H. Scudder, Mem. Bost. Soc. Nat. Hist., vol. iv, p. 444.
1892. Cryptostenmidx, 'T. Thorell, Bih. Svensk. Vet.-Akad., vol. xvii, 4, No. 9, p. 9.
1904. Cryptostemmatoide, H. J. Hansen and W. Sorensen, On Two Orders of Arachnida, p. 144.
I provisionally refer the Carboniferous genera of this order to the family
Cryptostemmide, which has the characters of the order.
The two genera here admitted may be distinguished as follows :
a. Opisthosoma elongate, narrowed posteriorly, not consisting mainly of three large
seoments; cucullus transversely suboblong, markedly wider than long. Cureulioides.
a’. Opisthosoma shorter, widely rounded posteriorly, composed mainly of three large
segments ; cucullus large, nearly as long as its basal width. . . Poliochera.
38 TERRESTRIAL CARBONIFEROUS ARACHNIDA.
Genus CURCULIOIDES, Buckland.
1837. Curculioides, W. Buckland, Bridgewater Treatise (ed. 2), vol. u, p. 76 (in part, C. ansticii).
1902. Curculioides, R. I. Pocock, Geol. Mag. [4], vol. ix, p. 439.
1890. Geratarbus, S. H. Scudder, Mem. Bost. Soc. Nat. Hist., vol. iv, p. 447 (Gn part, G. scabrum).
1890. ? Kustarachne, 8S. H. Scudder, Mem. Bost. Soc. Nat. Hist., vol. iv, p. 450.
1903. SKustarachne, A. L. Melander, Journ. Geol. (Chicago), vol. xi, p. 181.
The genus Curculioides was based by Buckland on two fossils in ironstone
nodules from Coalbrook Dale, which this author regarded and described as
Coleopterous insects. One of these was named C. aisticii, the other C. prestvicit.
The latter was subsequently made the type of Hophrynus by Dr. Henry Woodward,
who thus fixed C. austicii as the type of Curculioides. In 1884 Scudder suggested
that C. ansticii was an Arachnid related to Architarbus. I, on the contrary,
suggested that it was allied to Cryptostemina, judging solely from the figure of it
published by Buckland. The correctness of this surmise and the reasons given in
support of it have been confirmed by specimens in Mr. Egginton’s and Mr. Madeley’s
Collections.
That the Arachnid described by Scudder as Geratarbus scabrum is closely
related to those that I refer to Curculioides is, | think, indisputable; but it is
equally indisputable, in my opinion, that G. scabrwm belongs to a different order of
Arachnida from G. lacoei, which I have fixed as the type species of Geratarbus
(Geol. Mae. [5], vol. vil, p. 511, 1910). About Kustarachie there is more room for
doubt on account of Seudder’s statement that the opisthosoma consists of nine
ce
seements, including the short two-jomted “protuberant pygidium.” Although
none of the specimens I have seen shows distinct signs of abdominal segments, the
one in Mr. Madeley’s Collection possesses what might be called a “ protuberant
pygidium,” and this process is also well exhibited in Buckland’s original figure.
Nevertheless, it would have been difficult to justify the suggestion that Kustarachne,
based upon Ix. tenuipes, belongs here, were it not that the species described by
Melander as KX. sulcata seems to be unmistakably akin to the examples in Mr.
Egeinton’s Collection, which show the ventral side. Melander described K. suleata
as deeply punctured and as bemg provided with a triangular sessile pygidium of
two, possibly three, segments. Apart from this last character the abdomen seems
to show no segments. It is possible, of course, that Nustarachne tenuipes and K.
sulcatu differ. generically. Nevertheless, the measurements of the two type
specimens agree suspiciously closely, and both came from Mazon Creek, Ilnois. I
suspect that one shows the dorsal, and the other the ventral view of specimens
belonging to the same species.
CURCULIOIDES.
oo
ive)
Curculioides ansticii, Buckland. Plate IT, fig. 7; Text-fieures 12, 13.
1837. Cureulioides ansticii, W. Buckland, Bridgewater Treatise (ed. 2), vol. ii, p. 76, pl. 46”, fig. 1.
The exposed surface of both dorsal and ventral sides is closely covered with
small punctures marking the hollows of granules. A specimen in Mr. Egginton’s
Collection (Pl. II, fig. 7), showing the dorsal surface from the ventral side and the
ventral surface from the dorsal side on the two halves of a split nodule, has the
carapace flattish and only a little vaulted, and apparently about as wide as long,
though its lateral margins are not clearly defined. The posterior end of the
abdomen is markedly narrowed. Portions of the legs are well shown, especially on
the right side. The first and third are preserved as far as the end of the patella,
Fig. 12.—Curculioides ansticii, Buckland; suggested Fie. 13.—Cureulioides ansticti, Buckland ; dorsal sur-
restoration of ventral surface of specimen No. 17, face, three times nat. size.—Coal Measures ; Coseley,
four times nat. size. —Coal Measures; Coseley, near near Dudley. W. Madeley Collection.
Dudley. W. Egginton Collection.
of the second and fourth as far as the end of the femur. The first lee is the
thinnest and the second the longest of the series, the femur of the second being
about as long as the femur + patella of the third. Approwvimate measurements
im mm.: Total length about 11, length (without cucullus) and width of carapace 4,
length of abdomen 6:5, length of trochanter and femur of first leg 4, of second 6,
of third 5, of fourth 6°5, of the femora alone in the order named 3, 5, 3, 3:5.
Another specimen (No. 17) in Mr. Egginton’s Collection shows no structural
features not exhibited in the first and is much less perfectly preserved. The
abdomen appears to be more evenly oval and less narrowed posteriorly. The
entire animal, in fact, seems to resemble (. scaber of Scudder in shape. Approvi-
mate measurements in num.: Total length 12, length of carapace 4, width of cara-
pace 4, length of abdomen 8, width of abdomen 5.
In Mr. Madeley’s Collection there is a fairly well-preserved example showing
the cucullus apparently entire. It has conyex lateral margins and rounded aneles ;
40 TERRESTRIAL CARBONIFEROUS ARACHNIDA.
its anterior and posterior borders are straight and parallel, and the plate does not
expand towards its anterior border, as in existing genera, so that it may be
described as transversely oblong. The carapace is a little wider than long, with
the lateral borders convex, the widest point lying a little in front of the middle ;
its surface is moderately vaulted, its anterior portion being distinctly but evenly
curved downwards towards the edge to which the cucullus is hinged. <A distinet
but shallow constriction marks the junction of the carapace and abdomen. The
latter is elongate and oval, rather wider than the carapace; behind the widest
point in front, the sides are slightly convex and converge gradually towards the
posterior extremity, which shows indication of a median lobate excrescence.
Portions only of some of the legs are preserved. Approvimate measurements in
mim. : Total length 12°5; length of carapace 4°5, width about 5; length of cucullus
1, width 2°5; length of abdomen 8, width about 5.
Thus these three specimens from Coseley, near Dudley, agree tolerably closely
in dimensions. The type of C. scaber, Scudder, on the contrary, was larger, the total
leneth being 15 mm., the length and width of the carapace 5°25 mm., the length of
the abdomen 9°75 mm., and the width 6°25 mm. These measurements may be
instructively compared with those of Kustarachiue sulcata, Melander, from the same
locality, namely Mazon Creek, Ihnois, the total length bemg 15 mm. and the
abdomen, without the “ pygidium,” 9mm., with a width of 7mm. Thus there is the
same close agreement between the American specimens as between the English
examples.
Genus POLIOCHERA, Scudder.
18388. ? Cryptostemma, Guérin-Méneville, Rev. Zool., p. 10.
1884, Poliochera, S. H. Scudder, Proc. Amer. Acad. Arts Sci., vol. xx, p. 16.
1890. Poliochera, 8S. H. Scudder, Mem. Bost. Soc. Nat. Hist., vol. iv, p. 444.
Characters as above (p. 37).
Poliochera alticeps, sp. nov. Plate II, fig. 6; Text-figure 14.
Carapace elevated, convex from before backwards; the elevated area marked
with a median groove ending behind in an impression, and an impression, probably
muscular, far out on each side of this, a posterior curved groove passing on each
side into a deeper impression defining the elevated area behind; the median
length of the carapace about equal to its posterior width and as long as the anterior
two large terga of the opisthosoma.
Opisthosoma wider than the carapace, its width less than its length; the
three large segments subequal in length; each marked apparently with two
HAPTOPODA. 41
pairs of impressions, the anterior pair of the first small and widely separated, the
posterior pair larger and closer together; those of the other terga equidistant
from the middle line and in approximately the same straight line as the posterior
par of the first large tergal plate.
Measurements in mm.—Total leneth, exclusive of cucullus and caudal elonga-
tion, 5°5; length of carapace, excluding cucullus 2, width about 2°5; length ‘of
opisthosoma 3°5, width 2°8; length of first lee about 4°5, of third leg about 4.
Coseley, near Dudley.
Type and only known specimen in the Collection of Mr. Walter Egginton
(No. 6).
This specimen, in a split nodule of clay ironstone, shows very clearly the
dorsal surface with apparently the entire cucullus, portions of four pairs of
ambulatory appendages and a short two-jointed caudal process.
Fie. 14.—Poliochera alticeps, sp. n.; dorsal surface, showing the muscular impressions on the carapace and
on the terga of the opisthosoma, six times nat. size.—Coal Measures; Coseley, near Dudley. W.
Eeeinton Collection.
Although the type species of the genus Poliochera, namely P. punctulata,
Scudder, shows no cucullus and is described as having the carapace flat, I think it
probable that P. alticeps belongs to the same genus. Apart from the convexity of the
carapace P. alticeps may be distinguished by its much smaller size, P. punctulata
measuring 15 mm. in total length, of which the carapace is 6.
Order HAPTOPODA, nov.
No constriction between the prosoma and the opisthosoma, these regions
apparently movably jointed together ; the posterior end of the prosoma as wide as
the anterior end of the opisthosoma. Carapace of prosoma approximately as wide
as long, without trace of transverse grooves indicating segmentation. Opisthosoma
longer than wide, narrowed posteriorly, rounded at the extremity, exhibiting in
6
4.2 TERRESTRIAL CARBONIFEROUS ARACHNIDA.
one ease ten terga on the dorsal side, and always a small anal operculum beneath
the last, but on the ventral side. Thus eleven segments are traceable in the
opisthosoma. The number of sterna is doubtful; but there appear to be at least
nine, excluding the area between the coxe of the last pair of legs, the first sternal
plate being large with a widely convex posterior edge and the last small and
encircling the sides and lower edge of the anal operculum. Mandibles or chelicerz
not fully known, but their basal segment elongate and porrect. Palpi short and
pediform, consisting of six segments, the basal segment (maxilla) the largest, not
concealed from below, and slightly divergent from its fellow of the opposite side.
Legs of the first pair long, somewhat like those of the Thelyphonide, the terminal
Fia. 15.—Plesiosivo madeleyi, gen. et sp. n.; dorsal Fic. 16.—Suggested restoration of ventral surface of
surface with appendages restored from several the same.
specimens, four times nat. size.—Coal Measures ;
Coseley, near Dudley.
segments (protarsus and tarsus) converted into a seven-jointed tactile organ,
apparently without a claw; the rest of the segments normal in number and
structure. The remaining legs ambulatory, similar in form and in segmentation,
each consisting of the normal seven segments characteristic of the Arachnida, the
patella being short and the terminal segment (tarsus) undivided. Claws unknown.
The basal segments large, those of the fourth leg the largest, separated in the
middle line by an elongated sternal area which seems to expand behind between
the coxze of the fourth pair. Sternal plates of prosoma unknown, except for a
small triangular anterior sternal plate lying immediately behind the basal segments
of the palpi, and between those of the legs of the first pair and partially also
between those of the second pair. Position of generative orifice unknown.
PLESTOSIRO. 45
I have established this new Order, named in allusion to the tactile nature of
the legs of the first pair, for a genus of Carboniferous Arachnida which cannot be
fitted into any other Order of extinct or existing forms. In some respects it
coincides with the definition of the Opiliones, notably in the total absence of
constriction between the prosoma and opisthosoma, and in the number and nature
of the tergal plates of the opisthosoma, and could hardly, indeed, be excluded
from that Order by the structure of the appendages as seen from the dorsal side,
although differing from all its known members in the T'helyphonus-like modification
for tactile purposes of the legs of the first pair. The structure of the anal
segment is also like that of some Opiliones, e.g. Cyphophthalmus, but it is also
like that of the Anthracomarti. The arrangement, however, of the sternal plates
of the opisthosoma and the position of the basal segments (coxe) of the prosoma
with regard to the sternal area of that region, so far as I can decipher them, are
very different from what may be seen in the Opiliones. They may, indeed, be
described as more im conformity with the normal and primitive than is exhibited
in that Order, which in these particulars is the most specialised of all Arachnida,
with the exception of the Acari.
Fanuly PLusiostrontpa, nov.
Genus PLESIOSIRO, nov.
Generic Characters.—Carapace high, narrowed in front, its anterior border
produced into a median beak-like spiniform process; marked on each side by a
longitudinal crest extending from a point close to its antero-lateral angle to its
posterior border; the area external to these crests sloped abruptly down to the
lateral edge; the area between the crests flattish and marked with a pair of
lightly-curved crests, which arise at the base of the spiniform process, diverge,
then converge, and meet a little in front of the posterior border ; posterior border
straight. Opisthosoma narrowed posteriorly, the terga much wider than long,
with straight posterior border, the last only being convex posteriorly. The
sternal plate of the last, lying just in front of the transversely oval or subcireular
anal operculum, strongly angled, the preceding two sterna progressively less
strongly angled. Opisthosoma bordered laterally by an unsegmented ridge
representing probably the pleural integument of this region.
Palpi with second segment (trochanter) short ; third, fourth, and fifth segments
longer and subequal in length; the sixth short and tapering. Legs longish, the
femora and tibiae the longest segments; tibia of first compressed ; basal segment of
terminal tactile portion of the limb much longer than the rest individually.
Type Species.—Plesiosivo madeleyi, sp. nov.
A TERRESTRIAL CARBONIFEROUS ARACHNIDA.
Plesiosiro madeleyi, sp. nov. Plate II, fig. 5; Text-figures 15, 16.
Integument finely granular. Carapace with its admedian crests finely beaded ;
the lateral crests apparently smoother; three tubercles forming an oblique line in
the posterior half of the area on each side between the crests; the posterior width
of the carapace a little less than its median length, the latter a little greater than
the length of the anterior five terga of the opisthosoma. Opisthosoma longer than
wide, its width about equal to the length of the anterior six terga; a narrow
median granular crest on the anterior seven terga, and a few large granules
forming an irregular, oblique, abbreviated crest on each side. The eighth tergal
plate considerably shorter than the seventh; the mith and tenth much shorter
than the eighth.
First leg, excluding the coxa, about as long as the body; its femur about as
long as the first four terga of the opisthosoma; and a httle longer than the tibia;
the tibia about twice as long as the patella; the basal segment (protarsus) of the
terminal tactile portion longer than the other segments individually. Fourth leg
with trochanter and femur about equal in length to the carapace. ‘The four
distal segments of the palpi about half the length of the carapace.
Measurements in mim. (of type).—Total length 11:5; length and width of
carapace 5; length of opisthosoma nearly 7, its width 5, length of first leg
about 11.
Coseley, near Dudley.
Type in the Collection of the late Mr. Wilham Madeley. This specimen shows
the basal segments of the mandibles, the two palpi, one complete leg of the first pair,
the femur, patella, and half the tibia of the third leg, the femur and patella of the
fourth, and the femur of the second; the shape of the carapace and the tergal
plates of the opisthosoma. Also the posterior sterna of the opisthosoma; and the
hollow spaces of the basal segments of the legs of the first pair.
Other specimens in Mr. Madeley’s, Dr. Hind’s, Mr. Priest’s, and Mr.
Eeeinton’s Collections show additional features which have made it possible to
restore the dorsal surface tolerably completely. Details of the ventral surface are
im no instance well preserved, the sterna and the genital area of the opisthosoma
being im every case obscurely indicated. A specimen in Mr. Egginton’s Collec-
tion (No. 4) is noteworthy for being the only one to show ten distinct tergal
plates on the dorsal side of the opisthosoma, the ninth and tenth in this specimen
appearing as a single plate in the others, where the posterior end of the opistho-
soma is preserved (Pl. II, fig. 5).
PHALANGIOTARBIDA. 45
Order PHALANGIOTARBI, Waase.
1890. Opiliones, sub-order Phalangiotarbi, E. Haase, Zeitschr. deutsch. geol. Ges., vol. xlu, p. 650.
1910. Phalangiotarbi, R. I. Pocock, Geol. Mag. [5], vol. vii, pp. 508—512.
Carapace of prosoma unsegmented, bearing a single pair of median eyes near
its anterior border. No constriction between the prosoma and opisthosoma, but the
two regions apparently movably jointed together. erga of the opisthosoma eight
or nine in number and referable to two categories; the anterior five or six
quite short and apparently movably jointed, the posterior three long and
apparently fused, though the sutures between them persist. Sterna of the
opisthosoma apparently only seven in number, the posterior three corresponding
with the posterior three terga and the anterior four with the anterior six terga ;
the first sternal plate triangular and wedged between the cox of the last pair of
appendages of the prosoma. The genital orifice either just in front of or just behind
this plate. The anal orifice small, subapical, and perhaps closed by an operculum
representing a tenth segment. Legs, where known, alike in structure and con-
sisting of seven segments, of which the fourth or patella is subequal in length to
the third (femur) or fifth (tibia). Palpi, where known, very short, slender, and
pediform.
This Order is wholly extinct and is only known from the Coal Measures of
Europe and North America.
Although this group has some structural points in common with the recent
Opiliones, such as the single pair of eyes, the absence of constriction between the
prosoma and the opisthosoma, the presence of probably ten segments in the
opisthosoma and the simple, not chelate, palpi, I think it advisable, in the present
state of our knowledge, to keep the two apart, the segmentation of the opisthosoma
in the Phalangiotarbi being quite unlike that of the Opiliones.
Family PHALANGIOPARBIDA.
Phalanyiotarbide, Haase and Pocock (references as above under Phalangiotarbi).
Sternal area of prosoma relatively large and longitudinally elliptical, consider-
ably longer than wide. The coxz of all the post-oral appendages radiating round
it, with their distal margins overlapped by the edge of the carapace. Coxe of the
palpi narrow, and in contact in the middle line in front; coxw of lees of first pair
lying on each side of them and diverging obliquely forwards and outwards, not im
contact with each other; those of the fourth pair diverging obliquely backwards
and widely separated at their proximal ends and followed by a pair of coxa-lke
46 TERRESTRIAL CARBONIFEROUS ARACHNIDA.
sclerites separated by a narrow median suboblong area. Opisthosoma bearing eight
tergal plates, of which the anterior five are short and nearly straight or slightly
recurved, indicating that the posterior border of the carapace was also straight
from side to side; these are followed by the three normal large plates.
With the exception of the three plates lying behind the sternum of the
prosoma and the cox of the legs of the fourth pair, the significance of which is
obscure, the morphology of this Arachnid, judging from the figure, seems to be
clear. Judging from the size of the sternum of the prosoma and the wide separation
of the coxee of the legs of the first and fourth pairs, Phalangiotarbus is the least
specialised member of the Phalangiotarbi.
Genus PHALANGIOTARBUS, Haase.
2. Architarbus, H. Woodward, Geol. Mag., vol. ix, p. 385, pl. ix, fig. 1 a—b (nee Scudder).
0. Phalangiotarlus, H. Haase, Zeitschr. deutsch. geol. Ges., vol. xlii, pp. 638 and 650, pl. xxx,
fig. 3.
1910. Phalangivtarbus, R. I. Pocock, Geol. Mag. [5], vol. vii, pp. 510 and 512.
Fig. 17.—Phalangiotarbus subovalis (Woodward); ventral surface of the prosoma and dorsal surface of the
opisthosoma exposed, three times nat. size-—Coal Measures; Lancashire. ca. p., coxa of palp; ca. 1,
coxa of first leg; ca. 4, coxa of fourth leg. After H. Woodward, Geol. Mag., vol. ix, pl. ix, fig. 1.
Characters as above.
Type Species.—Architarbus subovalis, H. Woodward.
Phalangiotarbus subovalis (H. Woodward). 'ext-figure 17.
1872. Archilarbus subovalis, H. Woodward, Geol. Mag., vol. ix, p. 380, pl. ix, fig. 1 a—b.
1890. Phalangictarbus subovalis, H. Haase, Zeitschr. deutsch. geol. Ges., vol. xli, pp. 638 and 650,
pl. xxx, fig. 3.
1904. Architarbus subovalis, A. Fritsch, Paleeoz. Arachn., p. 35, fig. 39.
1910. Phalangiotarbus subovalis, R. I. Pocock, Geol. Mag. [5], vol. vii, p. 510.
GERAPHRYNUS. 47
The type and only known specimen of this species, which is known to me
solely from the figure and description, is imbedded in an ironstone nodule from
the Coal Measures of Lancashire.
Family Ancurrarsipm, Karsch.
Sternal area of prosoma small, and either subcircular or more usually narrow
and elongate, the proximal ends of the coxe being close together ; the distal ends
of the coxze not, or hardly, overlapped by the edge of the carapace. Coxze of palpi
usually, at all events, entirely concealed from below by those of the lees of the first
par, which meet throughout their length in the middle line; only in Geratarbus do
they appear to be in contact at their proximal ends, and diverge to a slight extent
outwards, leaving a narrow space between. Cox of legs of fourth pair also
meeting, or almost meeting proximally behind the posterior end of the sternal
area. Opisthosoma with eight or nine tergal plates.
This family, in the sense in which I have recently defined it (Geol. Mag. [5],
vol. vu, p. 512), contains several genera, of which only one, Geraphrynus, is known
to be British, the others, namely, Architarbus, Scudder, Geratarbus, Scudder, and
Opiliotarbus, Pocock, having been recorded from North America.
Genus GERAPHRYNUS, Scudder.
1884. Geraphrynus, 8. H. Scudder, Proc. Amer. Acad. Arts Sci., vol. xx, p. 16.
1890. Geraphirynus, 8. H. Scudder, Mem. Bost. Soc. Nat. Hist., vol. iv, p. 445.
1904. Geraphrynus, A. Fritsch, Paleoz. Arachn., p. 33 (in parti).
1910. Geraphrynus, R. 1. Pocock, Geol. Mag. [5], vol. vii, pp. 510, 512.
Generic Characters.—Body typically wide, its width across the anterior half of
the opisthosoma nearly half the total length. Carapace usually angular in front,
with its anterior lateral margins convex and gradually diverging to the posterior
lateral angles, where the plate is widest; its posterior border either evenly convex
or produced posteriorly in the middle. A pair of median eyes near the anterior
extremity. Opisthosoma with nine tergal plates, the first two or more following
the curvature of the posterior border of the carapace; the sixth segment much
shorter than the seventh, and generally a little, sometimes markedly, longer than
the fifth. A suleus commonly traceable on each side of the terga, extending from
a point not far from the postero-lateral angles of the carapace to the convex
posterior border of the ninth plate, terminating one on each side of the anal
orifice, and dividing the terga into three areas, a median and two lateral. The
anal orifice subapical, and probably closed by a small opercular plate representing
48 TERRESTRIAL CARBONIFEROUS ARACHNIDA.
the tergum of the tenth segment. Ventral surface of opisthosoma typically with
seven sternal plates; the last three large and corresponding to the last three terga ;
the anterior four corresponding to the anterior six terga. The first and second
sterna small and visible in the mtercoxal space of the legs of the last pair, the first
bemg triangular. Apparently a small orifice, the genital orifice, situated at the
anterior extremity of the first and behind the sternal area of the prosoma.
Sternal area of prosoma narrow, much longer than wide, and consisting of
five small plates, one pair between the cox of the lees of the third and fourth
pairs, a second pair between those of the second legs and a small unpaired plate
just behind the contiguous coxee of the lees of the first pair.
Coxe of the four pairs of legs large, triangular, and wedge-shaped, occupying
the whole ventral area of the prosoma, with the exception of the narrow sternal
region ; each leg consisting of seven segments, including the coxa; the second
Fig, 18.—Geraphrynus carbonarius, Scudder ; diagrammatic restoration of the dorsal surface of the type
specimen, adapted from Scudder’s fieure (Proc. Boston Soc. Nat. Hist., vol. iv, pl. x, fig. 10), the dotted
lines representing the coxal and sternal sclerites unde rlying the carapace, nearly three times nat. size.
—Coal Measures; Mazon Creek, Illinois, U.S.A.
segment (trochanter) stout but short; the remaining segments thinner and ‘longer,
and not very unequal in length, with the exception of the seventh or tarsus, which
is quite short, the fourth segment or patella being long, and not short as in the
Opiliones. Palpi very short, probably six-jointed, their basal segments concealed
from below by the united coxe of the legs of the first pair.
Type Species.—Geraphrynus carbonarius, Scudder.
This generic diagnosis is based for the most part upon the British material of
this genus that I have seen, checked by comparison with Scudder’s figure of the
type specimen of the typical species of the genus, @. carbonarius. Judging from
this figure, G. carbonarius differs from all those described in this paper in the large
size of the carapace as compared with the opisthosoma, the median length of the
former exceeding the median length of the latter.
It is impossible to say with certainty how many species are represented by the
GERAPHRYNUS. 49
material from Dudley that I have seen. The followmg six, which may be
determined by the subjoied key, appear at least to be distinguishable forms :
a. Carapace as wide as long or wider; length of the anterior four sternal plates of the
opisthosoma much less than that of the posterior three.
b. The posterior border of the carapace markedly sinuous, its lateral portions being
slightly concave and its median portion convexly produced in the middle line.
c. Opisthosoma longer and narrower in its posterior portion, the width of its
penultimate segment about equal to the median length of the carapace ; the
posterior border of the seventh and eighth terga distinctly angled angulatus.
ce’. Opisthosoma shorter and wider in its posterior portion; the width of the
penultimate segment considerably exceeding the median length of the
carapace. b : : : ; : , hindi.
b’. The posterior border of the carapace not markedly sinuous, either evenly convex
or with its lateral portion nearly straight and no rounded median backwardly
bulging area.
d. Posterior border of carapace evenly convex from side to side; opisthosoma
short, its greatest width nearly equal to its median length; no trace of
tubercles on the anterior terga of the opisthosoma ‘ ; eqgintont.
d’. Posterior border of carapace with its median area nearly straight, trans-
verse, its lateral portions also nearly straight and inclined obliquely inwards
and backwards from the angles ; opisthosoma long, its greatest width only
equal to the median length of the anterior eight segments; a pair of
tubercles in the middle of the anterior six terga ; . tuberculatus.
a’, Carapace distinctly longer than wide; width of the anterior four sternal plates of the
opisthosoma nearly equal to the length of the posterior three.
e. Width much more than one-third of the total length; anterior four terga of
opisthosoma sinuous 5 6 . angustus.
. Width about one-third of the tota A rere only the anterior two terga of the
opisthosoma sinuous : : f ; ; : torpedo.
Geraphrynus angulatus, sp. nov. Plate III, fig. 2; Text-figures 19,
Carapace closely granular, with median eyes distinct and placed apparently on
a tubercle which has a convex anterior border ; its posterior width a little exceeding
its median length; its posterior border produced and convexly rounded in the
middle, its sides slightly concave; the median area of the carapace about equal to
that of the anterior eight tergal plates of the opisthosoma. ‘The median area of the
first two terga of the opisthosoma almost obliterated and overlapped by the
median backward projection of the carapace; the posterior border of.the third
nearly straight; no large tubercles traceable upon the middle of the anterior six
terga; the median length of the sixth a little exceeding half that of the seventh and
a little less than half the median length of the eighth; the median length of the
latter about half that of the ninth, the anterior width of the ninth rather less than
two-thirds that of the sixth; the median length of the ninth about equal to its
ley
(
50 TERRESTRIAL CARBONIFEROUS ARACHNIDA.
anterior width. The posterior borders of the seventh and eighth distinctly angled
inthe middle line. On the seventh, eighth, and ninth terga a distinct integumental
groove running from the anterior to the posterior border and representing
apparently the external of the two pairs of grooves seen in other species, the
internal grooves dividing the terga into three definite areas being invisible in
G. angulatus.
First sternal plate of opisthosoma much longer than the second or third in the
middle line; its posterior border emarginate ; the second short, its median length
about one-fourth its posterior width, narrower laterally, its anterior border fitting
into the emargination of the posterior border of the first; the third only a little
longer than the second in the middle line, its anterior borders lightly biangulate,
Fra. 19.—Geraphrynus angulatus, sp.n.; dorsal surface with appendages, four Fria, 20.—Ventral surface of
times nat. size—Coal Measures ; Coseley, near Dudley. Wheelton Hind the same.
Collection.
its median length about half that of the fourth; the fourth, fifth, and sixth
increasing gradually but slightly in length, but the sixth only a little longer than
the fourth and barely two-thirds the length of the seventh.
Leg of first pair with trochanter, femur, patella and tibia about equalling the
carapace in length; the same segments of the fourth leg equalling the last five
terga or four sterna of the opisthosoma; the spimiform process on the distal
inferior edge of the femora and patellz apparently smaller than in other species
(e. g. G. andi) where they are shown.
Measurements in mm.—Total length 16; median length of carapace 6, width of
latter 6°5; median leneth of opisthosoma about 10; width of the latter 7-5; length
of sternal surface of opisthosoma 15; length of first leg from base of trochanter to
end of tibia 5°5; the same segments of the fourth leg 9:5,
GERAPHRYNUS. 51
Coseley, near Dudley.
Type and only known specimen in the Collection of Dr. Wheelton Hind.
Geraphrynus Lindi, sp. nov. Text-figures 21, 22.
Carapace of about the same shape as in Gt. angulatus. The anterior five terga
of the opisthosoma more sinuous transversely, the lateral portion of the anterior
borders shghtly convex and the median areas slightly concave. In G. angulatus the
third is scarcely sinuous, and the fourth is straight transversely. The posterior
portion of the opisthosoma relatively much wider than in G. angulatus ; the posterior
border of the penultimate or eighth sternal plate about as long as the carapace and
Fie. 21.—Geraphrynus hindi, sp. n.; dorsal surface Fie. 22.—Ventral surface of the same.
with palpi and lees of first and third pairs, four
times nat. size-——Coal Measures; Coseley, near
Dudley. Wheelton Hind Collection.
a little greater than the median length of the eighth and ninth sternal plates ;
the posterior width of its median area much greater than its length. In G.
angwlatus, on the other hand, the posterior width of the plate is much less than
the leneth of the carapace or than that of the eighth and ninth sterna, and the
posterior width of its median portion is about equal to its length. Legs much
longer than in G. angulatus, the trochanter, femur, patella and tibia, 7. e. the
second, third, fourth, and fifth seements of the third leg, exceeding the median
length of the opisthosoma. In G. angulatus these same segments in the fourth
lee are much shorter than the median length of the opisthosoma, and since the
fourth leg in this genus is longer than the third, it is evident that the segments in
question in the fourth lee of G@. hindi would greatly exceed the median length of the
opisthosoma.
TERRESTRIAL CARBONIFEROUS AKACHNIDA.
Or
bo
Measurements in mm.—Total length 13; length of carapace 5, width 5:5;
median leneth of opisthosoma 8, width of opisthosoma 7; length of ventral
surface of opisthosoma from apex of first sternal plate 11; length of first leg,
excluding coxa, 8, of third leg 11.
Coseley, near Dudley.
‘Type and only known specimen in the Collection of Dr. Wheelton Hind.
Geraphrynus tuberculatus, sp. nov. Text-figure 23.
Carapace thickly and closely granular, short, much wider than long, its median
length about equal to that of the first seven tergal plates of the opisthosoma ; its
Fig. 23 —Geraphrynus tuberculatus, sp. n.; dorsal surface, four times nat. size. —Coal Measures; Coseley,
near Dudley. W. Egginton Collection.
posterior border straight and transverse, in no sense convex, in the middle, almost
straight and inclined obliquely forwards and outwards at the sides. he anterior
six tergal plates of the opisthosoma each with a pair of distinct tubercles in the
middle; the first and second curved round the posterior edge of the carapace; the
third with its posterior border nearly straight; the median area of the first quite
distinct; the sixth nearly twice as long as the fifth, and about half the length of
the seventh or eighth; the latter about two-thirds the length of the ninth, the
anterior width of which is about two-thirds the width of the sixth; the length of
the ninth about three-quarters its anterior width. The posterior borders of the
median area of the seventh and eighth terga straight, not angled.
Ventral surface and appendages unknown.
Measurements in mm.—Total length 18; length of carapace 6, width nearly 8;
median length of opisthosoma 12, width of opisthosoma 8°5.
GERAPHRYNUS. 53
Coseley, near Dudley.
Type in the Collection of Mr. Walter Egginton (No. 46).
Mr. Egginton’s Collection also contains a specimen measuring about 20 mm.
long, which possibly belongs to this species, but is not sufficiently well preserved
for description.
Geraphrynus eggintoni, sp. nov. Text-figures 24, 25.
Carapace about as wide as long; its median length about equal to that of the
anterior eight tergal plates of the opisthosoma; its posterior border convex in the
middle, but not produced, its lateral portion not concave or sinuous. Median area
of first and second tergal plates of opisthosoma very narrow; posterior border of
the third straight; the sixth nearly twice the length of the fifth, and about half
Fie. 24.—Geraphrynus eqgintoni, sp. n.; dorsal surface Fig. 25.—Ventral surface of prosoma and of anterior
with appendages, four times nat. size.— Coal somites of opisthosoma of the same.
Measures; Coseley, near Dudley. W. Egginton
Collection.
that of the seventh; the posterior border of the seventh and eighth straight ;
median area of seventh and eighth subequal and about two-thirds that of the ninth,
the anterior width of which is about three-fourths the width of the seventh, and
much greater than the median length of the ninth. On the ventral surface the first
sternal plate seems to be much shorter in the middle line than in G. angulatus or
G. hindi, owing to its deeper emargination ; the second also is shorter than in the
former species, more produced mesially in front and more emarginate behind, while
the third is apparently much longer, being in fact as long in the middle line as the
fourth. Legs short, that of the first pair with its trochanter, femur, patella and
tibia about equal to the length of the carapace; the spines on the femur and
patella well marked; trochanter, femur and patella of the third about equal to
the carapace; the same segments and the tibia of the third about equal to the last
five segments of the opisthosoma.
Measurements in mm.—Total length 12; length and width of carapace 5; median
54 TERRESTRIAL CARBONIFEROUS ARACHNIDA.
length of opisthosoma 7, width of the latter about 6; length of first leg from base
of trochanter 7, same of the third leg 8.
Coseley, near Dudley.
Type and only known specimen in the Collection of Mr. Walter Egginton.
This species has the legs short as in G. angulatus, but differs in the shape of
the posterior border of the carapace, and of the seventh and eighth terga of the
opisthosoma, this region also being shorter and broader than im that species.
From G. hindi it differs in the shortness of its legs and the shape of the posterior
border of the carapace, and from G. tuberculatus in its longer carapace, shorter
opisthosoma, shape of the posterior border of the carapace, ete.
Geraphrynus torpedo, sp. nov. Plate III, fig. 1; Text-figures 26, 27,
Body long and narrow, nearly four times as long as wide. Carapace about
Fie. 26.—Geraphrynus torpedo, sp. n.; dorsal surface, Fic. 27.—Ventral surface of the same.
about four times nat. size.—Coal Measures ; Coseley,
near Dudley. W. Egginton Collection.
one-third longer than wide, its median length about equal to that of the anterior
eight terga of the opisthosoma, its width about equal to the length of the ninth
and half the eighth terga, and therefore much less than half the length of the
opisthosoma; its posterior border evenly convex. Opisthosoma nearly twice as
long as wide, its width across the seventh tergum a little exceeding the length of
the eighth and ninth terga; the first and second terga very narrow in the middle
line, the median area of the first obliterated or overlapped by the posterior border
of the carapace, the third, fourth and fifth straight and subequal in length, the fifth
about half the length of the sixth, which is a little more than half the length of the
seventh, the latter about equal to the eighth, and both of them shorter than the
ninth. Fifth and sixth sterna of the opisthosoma subequal in length and shorter
than the seventh; the sternal plate, corresponding to the third in the typical
species of Geraphrynus, as lone as the fourth and marked by a transverse ridge ;
ANTHRACOMARTI. 55
the second segment also long, with the median area of its anterior border con-
siderably produced to fit into the correspondingly deep emargination of the first
triangular intercoxal sternal plate. Coxal area of prosoma about one-fourth
longer than wide. Leg of first pair apparently shorter than the carapace, which
is about as long as the trochanter, femur, patelia and tibia of the fourth lee.
Measurements in mm.—Total length 12; carapace almost 5, width of carapace
3; length of opisthosoma 7, width about 4; length of its last three segments about
5; of sternal area of opisthosoma nearly 10; width of coxal area of prosoma 3:5;
length of fourth leg almost 7.
Coseley, near Dudley.
Type and only known specimen of this aberrant species in the Collection of
Mr. Walter Egeinton (No. 10).
Geraphrynus angustus, sp. nov.
Alhed to the last but shorter; body about two and a half times as long as
wide. Carapace about one-fourth longer than wide, median length equal to that of
the anterior eight terga of the opisthosoma, its posterior border evenly and widely
convex. Opisthosoma much less than twice as long as wide, its width about equal
to the last three tergal plates; the first, second, third and fourth terga sinuously
curved round the convex border of the carapace; the median area of the first
obliterated, of the second very short; the anterior border of the fifth sinuous ; the
plate about half the length of the sixth, which is more than half that of the seventh ;
seventh and eighth subequal and each about three-quarters the length of the
ninth.
Measurements in mm.—Total length 9°5 ; length of carapace 4, width 2°5; length
of opisthosoma 5°5, width 3:8; length of sternal area of opisthosoma 7:5.
Coseley, near Dudley.
A single specimen in Mr. Walter Egginton’s Collection (No. 36, one half
labelled also 26).
In addition to its greater width as compared to its length, a character in which
it serves in a measure to bridge over the interval between G. torpedv and the more
normal species of Geraphrynus, this new species differs from G. torpedo in the
sinuous curvature of the anterior four terga of the opisthosoma.
Order ANTHRACOMARTI, Karsch.
1882. Anthracomarti, F. Karsch (in part).
1885. Meridogastra, T. Thorell (as substitute for Anthracomarti).
1884 and 1890. Anthracomarti, S. H. Scudder (in part).
1890, Anthracomarti, HE. Haase (sensw stricto, as Suborder of Opiliones).
56 TERRESTRIAL CARBONIFEROUS ARACHNIDA.
1902-8. Anthracomarti, R. I. Pocock (sensu stricto).
1904. Pleuravanee, A. Fritsch (as Suborder of Aranez).
1904. Meridogastra (= Anthracomarti), A. Fritsch (in part as Suborder of Opiliones).
Prosoma covered dorsally by a carapace consisting of a single plate, variable in
form, but very generally marked posteriorly with a transverse groove indicating
the line of fusion between the tergal plate of the sixth somite and those of the
preceding five. No movable plate in front overhanging the cheliceree. Kyes, when
traceable, two in number.
Appendages of the first pair (cheliceree) unknown. Those of the second pair
(palpi) simple and pediform and consisting of six segments ; those of the remaining
four pairs similar in form, ambulatory in function, and consisting of seven segments.
The basal segments or coxe of the palpi and ambulatory limbs, 7. e. of the five pairs
of post-oral appendages, large, triangularly wedge-shaped, but movable and arranged
round the narrower or wider sternal area, which was furnished with a median
elongate sternal sclerite. Mouth-parts unknown.
Opisthosoma without appendages, movably jointed to the prosoma, but with its
individual segments apparently welded together, though the sutural lines persist.
Seven tergal plates are always traceable on the dorsal side, the first of the seven
(i. e. the seventh counting forwards from the posterior end) being almost invariably
longer than those that succeed it; each tergum is marked on each side with a
longitudinal suleus or groove which separates a lateral lamina from the median
area of the tergum; sometimes there is a second sulcus nearer the external
margin than the one just mentioned; hence each tergum is divided into either
three or five distinct areas according to the number of sulci. In front of the
seventh tergum from the end, either one or more tergal sclerites may be traced ;
these are usually not provided with lateral laminze and may be overlapped more
or less by the posterior border of the carapace ; they appear to represent from one
to three additional tergal plates undergoing excalation. The last tergal plate on
the dorsal side, that is to say the seventh, not counting the variable number of
anterior tergal plates just mentioned, is the narrowest of the series; but it is almost
invariably provided with an unpaired posteriorly-expanding median lamina, in
addition to its paired lamine, with which it forms a continuous series; this lamina
is itself sometimes marked off by a transverse sulcus from the median area of the
tergum. This median lamina of the last tergum visible from the dorsal side,
overlaps the tergal element of the next succeeding segment; the tergum of this
segment is fused with its sternal element to constitute a subannuliform sclerite,
near the centre of which lies a plate, the anal operculum, which is the tergal
element of the last segment. Thus ten tergal elements may be traced with
certainty in almost all genera, the last being the anal operculum and the first the
short tergal area that les between the carapace and the first large tergal plate of
invariable occurrence, namely the seventh from the end on the dorsal side.
ANTHRACOMARTI. 57
The sternal elements of the opisthosoma appear to correspond in number with
the terga, except that, with the doubtful exception of Hophrynus, there is no
sternal plate to represent the tenth tergum or anal operculum. Hence there
are nine sternal plates in all, the last being the ventral element of the plate
surrounding the anal operculum. The anterior sterna are variously modified and
arranged according to the genus, the arrangement in Anthracomartus being very
different from that of Mophiynus, the first, whether large as in the former or small
as in the latter, bemg probably the genital operculum.
The morphology of the anterior region of the opisthosoma in this Order opens
a wide field for speculation. I have already suggested two hypotheses to account
for the facts, either or neither of which may represent the actual truth (see Geol.
Mag. [4], vol. ix, pp. 443—448, 1902, and vol. x, pp. 250—251, 1903). But since
seeing examples of Anthracomartus with its enlarged and_posteriorly-projecting
first sternal plate, which recalls so forcibly the genital operculum of the Pedipalpi,
I am inclined to the opinion that my first-published view is probably correct,
namely, that the genital orifice opened behind the first sternal plate in Mophrynus
and Anthracomartus. This sternal plate, therefore, will be the sternum of the
genital segment, the tergum of which is apparently the short first tergal plate,
which is sometimes partially or wholly overlapped by the hinder border of the
carapace. The tergal element of the pregenital segment seems to be present
both in Hophrynus and Kreischeria; but I have not been able to recognise its
sternal region in these genera, although in Anthracomartus there seems to be a
comparatively large unchitinised area between the first sternal plate of the
opisthosoma (the genital operculum) and the sternal plate of the prosoma.
The British genera referred to this Order appear to fall into the following four
eroups :
(1) Brachypyge ; Maiocercus.
(2) Anthracomartus.
(3) Anthracosiro ; Trigonotarbus.
(4) Hophrynus ; Kreischeria ; Aphantomartus.
In 1902 I proposed to refer the genera Brachypyge and Anthracomartus to the
family Anthracomartide, and Hophrynus and Kreischeria to the Kophrynide. To
these I added in 1903 the family Anthracosironide for Anthracosiro. At that
time, however, I had not seen representatives of the genera Anthracomartus,
Kreischeria, and the two described below as Trigonotarbus and Aphantomartus.
The structure of the carapace shows that Aphantomartus belongs to the same
category as Hophrynus and Kreischeria, and that Trigonotarbus is apparently
related to Anthracosivo. On the other hand, the structure of the ventral surface of
the opisthosoma in Anthracomartus is very different from that of Mophrynus and
Triqonotarbus, the only other genera of the order in which this region has been
8
58 TERRESTRIAL CARBONIFEROUS ARACHNIDA.
observed, yet the carapace of Anthracomartus is, generally speaking, hke that of
Anthracosiro and Tirigonotarbus.
Of Brachypyge, as exemplified by the type species B. carbonis, only the dorsal
surface of the opisthosoma is known. Of the second species, which has been referred
to the genus, namely, /. celtica, only the ventral area of the opisthosoma has been
described and figured. These two species resemble each other, and differ from
the rest of the Anthracomarti in the production of the angles of the pleural plates
into spiniform processes. The two species are probably, but certainly not closely,
allied, and there are good grounds for regarding them as distinct genera. There
seem to me to be no justifiable reasons for assuming that the anterior sterna of
the opisthosoma of B. celtica have been wrongly depicted. If correctly drawn,
they differ greatly from the corresponding plates of Anthracomartus. On the
strength of this difference, supplemented by the peculiar formation of the margins
of the pleural plates, above alluded to, I am now disposed to separate Brachypyge
from the family Anthracomartide, and erect for its reception the family Brachy-
pygide. For Anthracosivo and Trigonotarbus the name Anthracosironide may be
retained; while the Eophrynide will comprise Hophryinus, Kreischeria, and
Aphantomartus.
The four families may be distinguished as follows :
a. Margins of the pleural laminz concave with spiniform angles; pleural lamin large
and divided as in the Anthracomartide, but the anterior sterna of the opisthosoma,
where known, not enlarged and backwardly produced : . Brachypygide.
a’. Margins of the pleural laminz of the opisthosoma convex, the angles not produced.
b. Carapace of prosoma not markedly sulcate except posteriorly; its lateral and
anterior portions sloped gradually or steeply downwards to the margin.
c. Opisthosoma with very large pleural lamine, each of which is divided into
an external and an internal moiety by a sulcus visible on the dorsal and
ventral sides; the anterior sternal plates swollen and produced back-
wards in the middle line and furnished on each side with a deep depression ;
the posterior sternal plates produced forwards and mesially angular
Anthracomartide.
ce’. Opisthosoma with its pleural lamin small or moderate and undivided,
not defined by a sulcus on the ventral side; anterior sterna small, not
backwardly produced and not deeply impressed laterally ; posterior sternal
plates not angularly notched in the middle line . . Anthracosironide.
b’. Carapace of prosoma transversely sulcate; its lateral portions extended as a
horizontal suleate lamina considerably beyond the elevated median portion ;
opisthosoma with pleural laminee undivided, its sterna as in the Anthraco-
sironide , : : P : 4 : Kophrynide.
Family BRracuypycipm, noy.
Characters as above.
I refer the two known species of this family to the following genera, which may
be distinguished thus :
BRACHYPYGE. 59
a. Opisthosoma much longer than wide; pleural lamine of the second and third pleura-
bearing terga inclined slightly backwards ; : : . Brachypyge.
a’, Opisthosoma much wider than long; pleural lamin of the first, second, third, and
fourth sterna inclined slightly forwards : : : . Maiocercus.
Genus BRACHYPYGE, H. Woodward.
1878. Brachypyge, H. Woodward, Geoi. Mag. [2], vol. v, pp. 433—436, pl. xi.
1902. Brachypyge, R. I. Pocock, Geol. Mag. [4], vol. ix, pp. 488, 491.
1904. Brachypyge, A. Fritsch, Paleeoz. Arachn., p. 41.
Type Species.—Brachypyye carboiis, H. Woodward.
Brachypyge carbonis H. Woodward. ‘'Text-figure 28.
1878. Brachypyge carbonis, H. Woodward, Geol. Mag. [2], vol. v, pp. 488—486, pl. xi; also Bull.
Acad. Roy. Belg. (2), vol. xlv, no. 4, pp. 410—415, with plate.
Fic. 28.—Brachypyge carbonis, H. Woodward; dorsal surface of opisthosoma, five times nat. size.— Coal
Measures; Mons, Belgium. After H. Woodward, Geol. Mag. [2], vol. v, pl. xi.
1885. <Anthracomartus carbonis, 8S. H. Scudder, C. R. Soc. Ent. Belg., vol. xxix, pp. 84—85.
1887 and 1896. Hophrynus carbonis, H. Woodward, Geol. Mag. [3], vol. iv, p.49; also Quart. Journ.
Geol. Soe., vol. li, p. cix.
1902. Brachypyge carbonis, R. I. Pocock, Geol. Mag. [4], vol. ix, p. 488.
1904. Brachypyge carbonis, A. Fritsch, Palseoz. Arachn., p. 42.
Only the dorsal area of the opisthosoma is known. Judging from the figure
this shows the following interesting structural characters : There are eight well-
defined tergal plates. The first is short; but it is wider than the anterior border
60 TERRESTRIAL CARBONIFEROUS ARACHNIDA.
of the second; it has no lamine, but bears two widely separated tubercles. A
pair of similar but larger tubercles is present on the elevated median area of the
six following terga. The second tergal plate is large; its pleural lamine are
distinct, with their postero-lateral portion inclined outwards and slightly back-
wards. The pleural lamine from the third to the seventh are widely extended
laterally and divided by a distinct sulcus into an external and internal moiety.
The median area of the terga is narrow as compared with the same area in
Anthracomartus. The median area of the eighth tergal plate is very long and the
inner moieties of the pleural laminz are not differentiated. In this respect D.
carbouis differs from all the other members of the Anthracomarti litherto
described; and it is the elongation of the tergal plate which gives the charac-
teristic length to the opisthosoma.
(Genus MAIOCERCUS, nov.
Characters as above (p. 59).
Type Species.—Mutocercus celticus, Pocock.
Fic, 29.—Maiocercus celticus (Pocock); ventral surface of opisthosoma, nat. size.—Coal Measures; 'ly’nybedw,
Rhondda Valley, S. Wales. 1 st. to 9 st., sterna of the first to the ninth somites; 8 tg., ventral side
of median lamina of the last tergal plate visible on the dorsal side ; 9 ty., area regarded as the tergal
plate of the ninth somite; 10 tg., anal operculum or tergal plate of the tenth somite ; imp., impression
(? coxal) marking the first and second sternal plates. From Geol. Mag. [4], vol. ix, p. 491.
Maiocercus celticus (Pocock). Text-figure 29.
1896. Hophrynus carbonis, F.'T. Howard and T. H. Thomas, Trans. Cardiff Nat. Hist. Soc., vol.
XXvill, p. 52, figs. a and b (nec Woodward).
1902. Brachypyge celtica, R. I. Pocock, Geol. Mag. [4], vol. ix, p. 488, fig. 2 a.
1904. Brachypyge celtica, A. Fritsch, Paleoz. Arachn., p. 41.
The figure of the ventral surface of the opisthosoma of this species suggests
that the genus Maiocercus is much more closely allied to Anthracomartus than is
Brachypyge. The chief resemblance to Brachypyge lies in the scalloped edge of the
pleural lamine. There is no reason to suppose that the eighth somite is elongated
as in the latter. The posterior borders of the sixth and seventh sterna show the
ANTHRACOMARTIDA. 61
mesial angular notch present in Anthracomartus, but the first and second sternal
plates are not enlarged and posteriorly produced as in Anthracomartus. There is,
however, on each side of them a distinct impression which I suggested in 1902
indicated possibly the position of the coxee of the lees of the last pair.
Fanily ANTHRACOMARTIDE, Haase.
(= Anthracomartide + Promygalid, Fritsch.)
Carapace of prosoma not differentiated imto definite regions as in the Hophry-
nidz, at most marked by a single posterior transverse sulcus. Chelicere not
certainly known, but apparently very slender, with thin, rod-like basal segments.
The remaining appendages normal, with their basal segments arranged subradially
round a wide sternal area; sternal plate unknown. Opisthosoma with its lateral
and posterior borders forming a continuous widely-rounded curve, exhibiting eight
tergal plates on the dorsal side; the first very short, narrowed laterally, without
pleural laminge, and partially or wholly overlapped by the posterior border of the
carapace; the rest with very large pleural lamin, divided into an outer and an
inner plate by sulci; these sulci form a continuous series passing round the
opisthosoma in a line concentric with the lateral and posterior borders, starting at
the antero-lateral angles of this region in front and cutting posteriorly the unpaired
median pleural lamina of the last tergal plate on the dorsal side. The median
area of the first large pleura-bearing tergal plate usually widened in front. In the
posterior half of the opisthosoma the pleural laminze are directed obliquely back-
wards, so that the posterior borders of the terga form a strongly curved line,
concave backwards.
On the ventral surface nine sternal areas are distinctly traceable in front of the
anal operculum. ‘The posterior borders of the fifth to the eighth are strongly
recurved and notched in the middle line, giving a marked and characteristic
angular appearance to these plates. The first visible sternal plate, no doubt the
genital operculum, is large and wide, with concave anterior border and a more or
less angularly produced posterior border. It lies well behind the coxx of the
posterior limbs of the prosoma and is in no sense wedged in between them as in the
Kophrynide. Usually, at all events, it has a median ridge or prominence. The
second and third plates follow, roughly speaking, the curvature of the first, their
posterior borders being convex backwards. he third plate is sharply marked
off from the fourth by what appears to be a strong hinge. Passing obliquely back-
wards and inwards from the lateral portion of the third plate towards the anal
operculum, there is, on each side, a strong ridge. The sternal areas between these
ridges are depressed so that the middle of the ventral surface behind the third
sternal plate is arched. Outside these ridges the ventral surface is sloped obliquely
62 TERRESTRIAL CARBONIFEROUS ARACHNIDA.
upwards to the inner edges of the pleural plates, the pleural plates themselves
lying more in a horizontal plane. When directed backwards the fourth leg hes
apparently in the space beneath the pleural plates and against the upsloping external
area of the ventral surface. In front of the first sternal plate, and between it and
the sternum of the prosoma, with the coxe of the legs of the last pair on each side,
there is a longer or shorter area which was probably membranous. This, perhaps,
represents the sternal region of the pre-genital segment, which seems to be
unrepresented on the dorsal side of the opisthosoma. The sulcus on the dorsal
side, which cuts the laminz into two moieties, is represented on the sternal side by
a similar sulcus following the curvature of the lateral and posterior borders of the
opisthosoma.
I believe the above-given interpretation of the ventral surface of the opistho-
soma to be, approximately at all events, correct. But m no specimen that I have
seen is the ventral surface exposed fully from below. In every case where the
sternal plates are well shown it is their inner surface that is exposed—that is to
say, the organism is split in two in such a way that the dorsal area is seen from
below and the ventral area from above. Hence im my description of the ventral
skeletal plates I have interpreted grooves and hollows as ridges and elevations
respectively, and vice-versd. This opens up possibilities of error which must not
be lost sight of; and when discussing Promygale and Anthracomartus im the
November issue of the Geological Magazine for 1910, I inadvertently fell into the
error of describing a deep groove on each side of the lower surface of the opistho-
soma. The structure should have been described as a ridge.
The Anthracomartide are sharply distinguished from the EKophrynide and
from the Anthracosironide, as exemplified respectively by Hophrynus and Trigono-
tarbus, not only by the structure of the anterior sternal plates of the opisthosoma,
but also apparently by the separation of the pleural plates into an outer and an inner
moiety by sulci, which are apparent upon the ventral as well as upon the dorsal
surfaces. They further differ from the Hophrynidz, but not from the Anthraco-
sironide, by the structure of the carapace of the prosoma.
Genus ANTHRACOMARTUS, Karsch (emend.).
1882. Anthracomartus, F. Karsch, Zeitschr. deutsch. geol. Ges., vol. xxxiv, p. 696.
1885. Anthracomartus, 8. H. Scudder, Proc. Amer. Acad. Arts Sei., vol. xx, p. 17.
1890. Anthracomartus, E. Haase, Zeitschr. deutsch. geol. Ges., vol. xlu, p. 645.
1901. Promygale, A. Fritsch, Fauna der Gaskohle, vol. iv, p. 58.
1902. Anthracomartus, R. I. Pocock, Geol. Mag. [4], vol. ix, p. 491.
1904. Anthracomartus, A. Fritsch, Paleoz. Arachn., p. 36.
1904. Promygale, A. Fritsch, Paleeoz. Arachn., p. 19.
1910. Anthracomartus, R. 1. Pocock, Geol. Mag. [5], vol. vii, pp. 504—508.
ANTHRACOMARTUS. 63
Generic Characters.—Carapace high; the median portion of its upper surface
nearly flat or slightly excavated; the lateral and anterior portion sloped nearly
vertically downwards to the lateral and anterior border; the posterior portion
much more gradually sloped backwards to the groove which defines the posterior
border; this border straight or slightly emarginate; the postero-lateral angles
rectangular ; the lateral borders subparallel for more than half their length, but
converging anteriorly from a point approximately on a level with the articulation
of the lees of the second pair, to form an angular prominence over the mandibles ;
the edges of the flattened dorsal area defined by a marked ridge which exhibits
anteriorly a low and short crest or thickening, perhaps marking the position of the
lateral eyes; the descending portion im the middle lime in front compressed or
defined by a pair of grooves which pass downwards to the marginal angle above
the mandibles.
Opisthosoma and limbs constructed as described under the diagnosis of the
family.
Type Species.—Anthracomartus voelkelianus, Karsch, from the Coal Measures of
Silesia.
Generic value has been assigned to the characters presented by the carapace,
because it appears to me probable that A. palatinus, Ammon, if the figure is to be
trusted, will have to be separated from Anthracomartus on account of the difference
in the shape of the carapace, which is much wider than long, somewhat constricted
posteriorly, and has the antero-lateral angles widely rounded. Moreover, the
antero-lateral angles of the opisthosoma project prominently beyond the postero-
lateral angles of the carapace. Ammon detected a pair of median eyes near the
front of the upper surface of the carapace in his species. No such eyes were
seen in any of my specimens.
It is needless to repeat here the reasons I have already published for regarding
Promygale as a synonym of Anthracomartus (see Geol. Mag. [5], vol. vi, pp. 505—
508, 1910).
The chief distinctive features of the two species of this genus described below
may be briefly epitomised as follows:
a. Total length of adult from about 21 to 25 mm.; seventh tergal plate of opisthosoma
larger, the length of its median area approximately equal to its anterior width ; the
triangular lateral pleural plate correspondingly long : : : hindi.
a’, Total length of adult from about 10 to 12 mm.; seventh tergal plate of opisthosoma
smaller, the length of its median area much less than its anterior width; the
triangular lateral pleural plate correspondingly short ; . . — _priesti.
Neither of these can be identified, at present, with any described form.
64: TERRESTRIAL CARBONIFEROUS ARACHNIDA.
Anthracomartus hindi, sp. nov. Plate III, fig. 3; Text-figures 830—32.
Carapace about as long as wide or a little longer ; its median length about equal to
that of the anterior’ five tergal plates of the opisthosoma ; its surface, lke the dorsal
and ventral surfaces of the opisthosoma, finely, closely, and nearly uniformly
eranular throughout. The first tergal plate of the opisthosoma large; its median
length nearly equal to that of the second and third taken together; the median lengths
Fic. 80.—Anthracomartus hindi, sp. n.; restoration of dorsal surface with appendages, taken from several
specimens, about two and a half times nat. size.—Coal Measures ; Coseley, near Dudley.
of the second, third, fourth, fifth and sixth subequal; the posterior border of the
median area of the first and second straight, of the third, fourth, fifth and sixth
becoming gradually but only shghtly more and more recurved; the length of the
median area of the first plate about half its posterior width ; of the second a little less
than one third of its posterior width; the third to the sixth becoming progressively
and gradually narrower, the median length of the sixth being about one-half its
posterior width; median length of the seventh exceeding that of the first and
1 Tn this and other cases where Anthracomartide are described, the first tergal plate of the
opisthosoma is considered to be the seventh from the end on the dorsal side, the narrow anterior
plate, which is often overlapped by the carapace, being disregarded.
ANTHRACOMARTUS. 65
equal to its own anterior width ; length of the median lamina of the seventh about
two-thirds the length of that plate. Palp with femur, patella, tibia and tarsus
about three-quarters the length of the carapace ; the femur and patella stout, the
tibia and tarsus thinner. Trochanter and femur of first leg about as long as the
first four terga of the opisthosoma; of fourth leg about as long as the first five
terga.
Measurements in ium. (of type).—Total leneth 25 ; length of carapace 9, width 8 ;
length of opisthosoma 16, width about 16; median leneth of its first tergum 2°8,
of second + third 3; four distal segments of palpus 6; trochanter and femur of
first lee 7, the rest of the limb 8°5; trochanter and femur of second about 7, the
c
Fia. 31.—Anthracomartus hindi, sp. n.; suggested restoration of the ventral surface, about two and a half times
nat. size.—Coal Measures ; Coseley, near Dudley. From Dr. Wheelton Hind’s specimen, No. 1.
rest of the limb 10:5; trochanter and femur of third about 7:5, of fourth
about 8.
Dudley, and Coseley, near Dudley.
The type of this species isa cast (No. 12148), in the Geological Survey Museum,
of the underside of the dorsal surface of a specimen from Dudley belonging to
Dr. Kidston.
In addition to this I have seen the following specimens which may be referred
to the same species.
(1) One in Dr. Hind’s Collection showing the dorsal surface from the lower side
and the ventral surface from the upper side, with the palpi and the four pairs of
ambulatory limbs at least as far as the extremities of the femora; also the coxe,
represented by hollow spaces, and the intervening sternal area. The first leg
appears to be relatively longer than in the type and has a considerably larger
angular prominence in front; and the first tergal plate of the opisthosoma seems
9
66 TERRESTRIAL CARBONIFEROUS ARACHNIDA.
to be distinctly shorter than the following two. These differences, however, are
very likely sexual, the specimen under notice being perhaps the male and the type
the female of the same species. The anterior sternal plates of the opisthosoma
are difficult to decipher. The suggested restoration in the annexed figure may
possibly, however, help their correct interpretation when other material is available.
Measurements in mm.—Total length 22; length and width of carapace about 8;
length of opisthosoma 15:5, width doubtful; length of trochanter and femur of first
and fourth legs about 7.
(2) Specimen in Dr. Hind’s Collection showing the dorsal surface and obscure
details of the ventral sclerites, with the trochanters and femora of the four legs of
the left side. The greatest width of the opisthosoma appears to be across its
third segment, not across the fourth as in the type; this region is thus narrower
behind ; the first tergal plate of the opisthosoma is approximately only as long as
the second and half the third, and the legs appear to be relatively shorter than in
the other specimens, the process on the femur of the first being small. Measure-
Fia. 32.—Anthracomartus hindi, sp. n.; suggested restoration of lateral surface, taken from several specimens,
about two and a half times nat. size.—Coal Measures ; Coseley, near Dudley.
ments in num.—Total length 23°5, length of carapace 8°5, width doubtful; length
of opisthosoma 15, approximate width 14; length of trochanter and femur of first
leg 6; of fourth leg 6°5.
This specimen, perhaps, represents a different species from the rest.
(3) Specimen in Dr. Hind’s Collection showing no details of special moment.
Measurements in mm.—Total length 21; length of opisthosoma 13, width 12.
(4) Specimen in the British Museum, collected by Mr. J. S. Neil, showing the same
general features as No. 1, belonging to Dr. Hind, but less clearly. Measurements
in mm.—Total leneth 21:5; length of opisthosoma 15:5.
(5) Specimen in Mr. Egginton’s Collection (No. 22) showing the dorsal surface,
the opisthosoma being nearly complete, but the prosoma incomplete, without trace
of appendages. Measurements in mm.—Total length 22; length of opisthosoma 15,
width doubtful.
(6) A perfect specimen of the opisthosoma in Mr. Egginton’s Collection
(No. 29). Measwrements in mm.—Length of opisthosoma 15, width 14.
(7) A small specimen in Mr. Priest’s Collection appears to belong to this
species rather than to the following on account of the shape of the seventh tergal
ANTHRACOMARTUS. 67
plate. of the opisthosoma. Measurements in mm.—Total length 13; length of
opisthosoma 9, width about 8.
All the above-described specimens are from Coseley, near Dudley.
Anthracomartus priesti, sp. nov. ‘l'ext-figures 33, 34.
Carapace apparently a little longer than wide, its median length equal to that
of first six and half the seventh tergal plates of the opisthosoma ; both these areas
granular or coriaceous throughout. The first tergal plate of the opisthosoma large,
its median length equal to that of the second and third taken together ; the median
lengths of the second, third, fourth, fifth and sixth subequal; their posterior
borders with approximately the same curvature as in A. hindi; leneth of median
Fic. 33.—Anthracomartus priesti, sp n.; dorsal surface, Fig. 34.—Suggested restoration of ventral surface of
restored from several specimens, four times nat. the same.
size.—Coal Measures ; Coseley, near Dudley.
area of first plate less than one-half its posterior width; of the second a little more
than one-fourth of its posterior width ; of the sixth distinctly less than one-half its
posterior width ; median length of the seventh a little less than that of the first,
and much less than its own anterior width; the triangular lateral lamine of this
segment nearly equal-sided; median length of the median unpaired lamina about
equal to that of the seventh tergal plate itself.
Length of palpi doubtful. Trochanter and femur of first leg about equal to the
median length of the first, second, third, and half the fourth terga of the opistho-
soma; of fourth leg about equal to the first five terga of that region.
First sternal plate large and triangular, its posterior median angle nearly
rectangular, the median area of the plate marked apparently with a somewhat
arrow- or hammer-shaped crest, the handle or shaft lying in the middle line, and
the head expanding laterally just im front of the angular prominence of the plate ;
68 TERRESTRIAL CARBONIFEROUS ARACHNIDA.
the second sternal plate shorter but wider than the first, with its median area
elevated into a suberescentic thickening which fits round the angle of the first;
the third wider than the second, very short in the middle, thickened and notched
laterally, where it is hinged to the fourth.
Measurements in ivim.—Total length 11; length of carapace 4:5, width about 4:;
leneth of opisthosoma 6°5; median length of its first tergal plate about 1:3,
of seventh about 1; length of trochanter and femur of first leg almost 3, of the
rest of the limb 3°5; trochanter and femur of fourth leg 3°3.
Coseley, near Dudley.
The type specimen above described is in the collection of Mr. 8. Priest.
In addition to the type I have seen many specimens in various stages of
preservation in the Collections of Mr. 8. Priest, Mr. Henry Johnson, Mr. W.
Heeinton, Dr. Hind, and Mr. J. 8. Neil, all contained in clay ironstone nodules from
Coseley and Dudley.
The following may be mentioned :
(1) A perfect specimen of the opisthosoma from the dorsal side in Mr. Priest’s
Collection. It differs principally from the type in having the median area of the
seventh tergal plate longer than its unpaired lamina. Total length of the opistho-
soma 6°5 mm., width 6 mm.
(2) Another specimen in Mr. Priest’s Collection has the opisthosoma 6 mm. long
and about 6°3 mm. wide. .
(5) Specimen in Dr. Hind’s Collection showing the same general features as the
type, but the sterna of the opisthosoma less well preserved and the second,
third, and fourth legs of the mght side clearly traceable. The opisthosoma is
shortened by distortion. Measurements in ium. : Total length 10; length of carapace
4:5, width 3:5; length of opisthosoma 5:5; length of second leg 5:5, of third 5:5,
of fourth 6°3.
(4) Specimen in the British Museum collected by Mr. J. 8. Neil and showing
the dorsal surface, with the carapace incomplete. Total length about 11-5 mm. ;
length of opisthosoma 7 mm., width 7°5 mm.
(5) Specimen in Mr. Egeginton’s Collection (No. 5) showing the anterior
sternal plates of the opisthosoma nearly as clearly as in the type. Total length
about 12 mm., of which the opisthosoma is 7 mm; trochanter and femur of fourth
leg 3 mm.
In addition to No. 5, Mr. Egginton’s Collection contains ten specimens of
Anthracomarti, most of which seem to belong to this species. Some, however,
are of doubtful identity. The three following are selected for measurement on
account of their small size: No. 26, total length 9 mm. No. 52, total length
7mm.; length of opisthosoma 4°5 mm. No. 32, total length 5 mm.; length and
width of opisthosoma about 3 mm.; length of firstleg 3mm. These may be young
specimens of A. priesti.
ANTHRACOSIRO. 69
Family ANTHRACOSIRONIDA, Pocock.
1903. Anthracosironide, R. I. Pocock, Geol. Mag. [4], vol. x, p. 408.
Carapace of prosoma with only a single posterior transverse sulcus ; elevated in
the middle and sloped anteriorly, laterally and posteriorly to the borders, thus
resembling in a general way that of the Anthracomartide. Opisthosoma with the
pleural laminz smaller than in that family and undivided, those on the anterior terga
being very small. Anterior sterna of this region, at least in J'rigonotarbus, small
and crowded together, not enlarged, and posteriorly produced, the first triangular
and wedged between the cox of the last pair of appendages, the following two or
three short and not laterally impressed ; the posterior border of the posterior sterna
evenly convex, not mesially angled or notched.
This family constitutes in some respects an interesting connection between the
Anthracomartide and the Hophrynide, resembling the former in the structure of
the carapace and the latter in the shape and size of the anterior sterna of the
opisthosoma.
The two genera referred to the Anthracosironide may be distinguished as
follows:
a. Carapace rounded or truncated in front, its lateral borders only markedly converging
in front of the middle ; all the pleural lamin directed obliquely backwards, their
anterior and posterior borders forming distinct angles with the corresponding
borders of the median area of the terga that bear them — . . Anthracosiro.
a’. Carapace markedly narrowed and angular in front, its lateral borders strongly con-
verging forwards from a point behind the middle; the anterior and posterior borders
of the pleural laminz following the lines of the corresponding borders of the median
area of the terga : ‘ : : : . Trigonotarbus.
Genus ANTHRACOSIRO, Pocock.
1903. Anthracosiro, R. I. Pocock, Geol. Mag. [4], vol. x, pp. 247— 250 and 405—407.
1904. Anthracosiro, A. Fritsch, Palwoz. Arachn., p. 42.
Generic Characters.—Carapace high, convex from before backwards, and from
side to side; its median area widely, but not deeply, excavated longitudinally, and
defined by a ridge on each side, externally to which the surface slopes downwards
to the lateral margin at an angle of about 45 degrees; the anterior portion of
the upper surface bearing a pair of widely separated tubercles, probably oculi-
ferous, or a transverse ridge at the ends of which eyes were probably situated ;
the lateral border strongly or slightly convex; the anterior border convex or
nearly straight; the posterior border straight; a short area in front of the
posterior border defined by a transverse groove. ‘The opisthosoma with seven
70 TERRESTRIAL CARBONIFEROUS ARACHNIDA.
very distinct terga, and in front of the seventh from the end (the first large tergal
plate) one, or possibly two, narrower terga. The pleural plates quite small on the
anterior terga, but becoming progressively longer from before backwards and tilted
upwards and inclined backwards, so that the antero-lateral angle of each is obtuse
and the postero-lateral angle acute; each composed of a single plate as in
Hophrynus and Kreischeria, not of a double plate as in Anthracomartus. Appen-
dages as in the other members of this order.
Type Species.—Authracosiro woodwardi, Pocock.
Anthracosiro woodwardi, Pocock. 'l'ext-figures 35, 36.
1903. Anthracosiro woodwardi, R. I. Pocock, Geol. Mag. [4), vol. x, pp. 246—250, 405—408.
1909. Anthracosiro latipes, EH. L. Gill, Trans. Nat. Hist. Soc. Northumb., Durham, Newcastle-on-Tyne,
vol. ii, pp. 510—522, pl. xiii.
The type of this species is a specimen (No. I. 1551) in the British Museum,
showing clearly the structure of the terga of the opisthosoma, portions of the
walking legs and the carapace in vague outline. A second specimen (No. I. 1554)
shows little more than the last, except that the radial arrangement of the coxa of
the limbs can be indistinctly deciphered. A third specimen (No. I. 1553), however,
which I had not seen in 1903, has the carapace well preserved. Since this plate
was previously unknown it 1s worth describing in detail.
It is wider than long, elevated and longitudinally convex mesially, but sloping
away anteriorly, posteriorly and laterally from the highest pomt, which is situated
near the centre of the dorsal surface. Anteriorly a distinct T-shaped ridge is
traceable; the ridge representing the stem or upright portion of the letter hes in
the middle line, and extends from the anterior edge of the carapace upwards to
meet the ridge representing the transverse bar of the T. At each extremity of
this an eye was probably situated. On each side of the median ridge there is a shallow
depression. Behind the transverse ridge there extends backwards to the posterior
border of the carapace a pronounced depression bordered on each side by a ridge,
and constricted near the middle of the carapace so as to present the appearance of
two triangular depressions set angle to angle, the posterior being much the larger
of the two. Outside the ridge on each side there is a rather wide and deep
longitudinal depression. Another depression, running transversely and continuous
with the posterior angles of the median depression, is traceable in front of the
posterior border of the carapace. Portions of the terga of the opisthosoma and of
the appendages add nothing to our knowledge of these structures, with the
important exception that a detached palpus shows this appendage to have been
short and stout, the femur being especially strong and deep, with a rounded
prominence near its base on the inferior edge.
Approwimate measurements i mm.—Length of carapace 0°7, width 6; length of
ANTHRACOSIRO. 71
palpus 7:7. The first leg is about equal to the anterior five tergal plates of the
opisthosoma.
Fic. 35.—Anthracosiro woodwardi, Pocock. a. Restoration of the dorsal surface with appendages, taken
from several specimens, about three times nat. size. 6. Anterior, and (c.) lateral views of carapace of
specimen No. I. 1553 in the British Museum. d. Detached palpus of the same, much enlarged.—Coal
Measures ; Coseley, near Dudley.
Fia. 36.—Anthracosiro woodwardi, Pocock ; dorsal view, with the carapace crushel and the anal operculum
showing through the last tergal plate visible on the upper side, about three times nat. size.—Coal
Measures ; Sparth, near Rochdale. W. A. Parker Collection.
In 1909 Mr. E. L. Gill described, under the name A. latipes, a species based
upon a specimen from Crowcrook, near Neweastle-upon-Tyne, which differed
apparently from the type of A. woodwardi in having the segments of the legs deep
72 TERRESTRIAL CARBONIFEROUS ARACHNIDA.
and strongly compressed and crested. But by cutting away the matrix imbed-
ding the limbs of examples of A. woodwardi in the British Museum, Dr. F. A.
Bather has shown that the appendages are constructed as in the type of A. latipes.
Since Dr. Bather drew my attention to this fact I have been able, through the
kindness of Dr. Henry Woodward, to examine a specimen from Sparth, near
Rochdale, belonging to Mr. W. A. Parker, which resembles those from Coseley and
Crowcrook in the structure of the legs and in other particulars. Although Mr.
Gill was perfectly justified on the evidence in describing his specimen as the repre-
sentative of a new species, I think Dr. Bather is right in his belief that latipes
must be regarded as a synonym of woodwardi. The specimen from Sparth shows
the dorsal surface. The median ridge and the paired muscular impressions in the
terga of the opisthosoma are clearly displayed. The pleural plates, however, are
better preserved than in the type of A. woodwardi from Coseley, and those in the
Fia. 37.—Anthracosiro fritschi, Pocock ; dorsal surface, nearly eight times nat. size.—Coal Measures ; Coseley,
near Dudley. British Museum (No. I. 1556). From Geol. Mag. [4], vol. x, p. 406.
anterior portion of this region are shown to be, not triangular, as I described them,
but four-sided, although the anterior margin is considerably shorter than the
posterior margin. Another interesting feature to be noticed is the presence of a
narrow tergal plate in front of the eighth from the end on the dorsal side as in
Hophrynus and Kreischeria,
Measurements in mm.—Total length about 20; carapace about 5:5; opisthosoma,
including the two narrower terga in front of the seventh from the end, 14°5—
without these two terga 13; width 9; length of femur of fourth leo 4, width 2.
The known distribution of A. woodiwardi is as follows: Coseley, near Dudley,
specimens in the British Museum Nos. I. 1551 (type), I. 1558, I. 1554, formerly
belonging to the Collection of Mr. H. Johnson; Sparth, near Rochdale, specimen
belonging to Mr. W. A. Parker; Crowcrook, near Newcastle, the type of A.
latipes in the Hancock Museum.
TRIGONOTARBUS. 73
Anthracosiro fritschi, Pocock. Text-figure 37.
1903. Anthracosiro fritschii, R. I. Pocock, Geol. Mag. [4], vol. x, pp. 405—408, with fig.
Since no new material of this species has come to hand I can add nothing to
the original description. The only known specimen measures 6°5 mm. in length.
Type in the British Museum (No. I. 1556) from the Coal Measures of Coseley,
near Dudley (H. Johnson Coll.).
Genus TRIGONOTARBUS, nov.
reneric Characters.—Body forming an elongated oval, pointed at its anterior,
rounded at its posterior end. Carapace high, markedly triangular in outline from
above, widest at its posterior angles, its posterior border straight, its lateral
borders slightly sinuous and converging forwards to the pointed anterior extremity.
The median portion of its upper surface forming a flattish triangular area, from
which the lateral and anterior portions slope somewhat abruptly away to the
margin; the lateral portion hollowed posteriorly ; the posterior portion of the
carapace depressed and marked with a transverse groove parallel with the posterior
border; the anterior sloping portion compressed. A pair of contiguous eyes on the
anterior angle of the flattish area at the summit of the compressed sloping portion.
Opisthosoma slightly convex between the laminz, as wide as the carapace in front ;
its lateral and posterior borders forming an evenly oval curve, consisting above
of seven distinct tergal plates nearly equal in length, each marked laterally with a
groove defining the lateral upturned laminz, which are smaller upon the anterior
than upon the median and posterior terga, those of the first tergal plate being
very small; the lamine not directed so obliquely backwards as in Anthracosiro.
The last tergal plate with three lamine, the median completely separated from
the laterals by the normal angled groove, but not separated by a groove from the
main portion of the tergal area. Sternal surface of opisthosoma strongly convex
from side to side, forming an even transverse curve across the middle line from
the margin of the laminz of one side to that of the other, but without any lateral
eroove defining the lamine. The posterior border of the sternal plates mostly
stronely recurved, but the recurvature becoming progressively less and less marked
anteriorly; the sternal plate corresponding to the second tergal plate nearly
straight from side to side; two or three plates in front of this, the number being
uncertain, the anterior being triangular and projecting between the cox of the
legs of the last pair; its posterior border concave, probably marking the anterior
rim of the genital orifice. The last plate on the ventral surface bearing the
circular anal sclerite.
10
74 TERRESTRIAL CARBONIFEROUS ARACHNIDA.
The coxe of the five pairs of post-oral appendages radiate round the elongated
sternal area of the prosoma, which is about twice as long as wide. Of the first
pair of appendages or cheliceree no details can be determined. Those of the second
pair, the first post-oral appendages or palpi, are normally constructed and pediform,
consisting of six seements ; the remaining pairs are similar in form and segmenta-
tion and approximately similar in size, each consisting of the usual number of
seven segments.
Type Species.—Trigonotarbus johusoni, sp. nov.
Although in the structure of its carapace this genus presents greater resem-
blance to Anthracomartus than to Hophrynus, it approaches much nearer to the
latter than to the former in the structure of the sternal plates of the opisthosoma,
especially of those in the region of the generative orifice. It also resembles
Fic. 88.—Trigonotarbus johnsoni, gen. et sp. n.; restoration from several specimens, about six times nat.
size.— Coal Measures ; Coseley, near Dudley. «a., dorsal surface with appendages; b., lateral view of
carapace, about eight times nat. size; c., ventral surface ; d., transverse section of the opisthosoma to
show the convexity of the ventral surface and the uptilted pleure.
Hophrynus in having the lamine of this region undivided on the dorsal side, and
not differentiated by a sulcus from the rest of the sternal plates on the sternal
side of the opisthosoma. No doubt its nearest known ally is Anthracosiro, of
which the sternal surface of the opisthosoma is unknown; but V'rigonotarbus 1s
certainly generically distinguishable by the shape of the carapace and of the
laminz of the opisthosoma, and by the absence of lateral constriction between the
prosoma and opisthosoma.
Trigonotarbus johnsoni, sp. nov. Plate III, fig. 4; Text-figure 38.
Integument closely and tolerably uniformly granular. Carapace about as long
as its own posterior width, and a little longer than the anterior six terga of the
opisthosoma. Opisthosomaa little longer than wide; the terga subequal in length
HOPHRYNIDAL. 75
mesially, the first not markedly longer than the rest; the first four straight, with
parallel anterior and posterior borders; the fifth with its posterior border slightly
recurved, the sixth with both anterior and posterior borders recurved or concave
backwards. Palpi long and slender, excluding the coxa, longer than the carapace.
First leg longer and stouter than the palpi, a little longer than the opisthosoma,
and about one and a half times the length of the carapace, which is about equal to
its trochanter, femur, patella, and half the tibia; the protarsus of the first leg
apparently shorter than the tarsus. Fourth leg a little longer than the first, with
its protarsus longer than its tarsus.
Measurements in mm.—Total length 4°8 ; length of carapace 2; of opisthosoma
28, width of latter about 2°5; length of palpus about 2°5; of first lee about 3, of
fourth a little over 3.
Coseley, near Dudley.
Type, above described, in the Collection of Mr. Walter Egeinton (No. 7).
In addition to the type there are many specimens in the Collections of Mr.
Egginton, Mr. H. Johnson, and Mr. Madeley. They are all in clay ironstone
nodules from the Dudley Coal Measures.
The largest specimens I have seen reach a length of about 6 mm.
Family Korurynip#, Karsch.
Hophrynidx, Karsch, Scudder, Pocock, Fritsch.
Hophrynide + Kreischeriide, Haase.
_ Carapace with its median area elevated and marked with a deep, narrow longi-
tudinal groove in its posterior half, and with one or two transverse sulci as well ;
furnished either anteriorly or mesially with an ocular tubercle bearing a pair of
eyes. Behind the elevated portion there is a short depressed transverse portion
abutting against the opisthosoma, and continuous laterally with the widely and
horizontally extended lateral portion of the carapace, which is impressed with
two sulci, the anterior of these being continuous with the suleus of the median area
that defines posteriorly the oculiferous area of the median portion. In front of the
latter there is a longer or shorter apically narrow projecting portion, which
apparently overhangs the cheliceree. In typical members of this family (Hophrynus,
Kreischeria) there appear to be at least two tergal plates in the opisthosoma in
front of the seventh tergal plate from the end on the dorsal side, and the pleural
lamine, although large on all the seven normal and invariable terga, appear to be
undivided. The anterior three sternal plates, at least in Hophrynus, are short, the
first being triangular and wedged between the coxe of the appendages of the last
pair, the size and disposition of these plates being very similar to those of
76 TERRESTRIAL CARBONIFEROUS ARACHNIDA.
Trigonotarbus amongst the Anthracosironide, and very different from those of
the Anthracomartide.
The three British genera of this group may be distinguished as follows :
a. The posterior borders of the terga and of the pleural laminz of the opisthosoma
forming a transverse straight line, in no sense recurved. . Aphantomartus.
a’, The posterior borders of the terga and of their pleural lamin in the posterior half
of the opisthosoma forming a markedly recurved line.
b. Carapace with median sulcus long and eyes far in advance of the middle, as
in Aphantomartus : . Kreischeria.
b’. Carapace with median sulcus short and eyes approuimbately central. Hophrynus.
Tn addition to the genera diagnosed above the following, not yet recorded from
British deposits, have been referred to this family :
Stenotrogulus, Fritsch, based on Hophrynus sali, Stur ; Cyclotrogulus, Fritsch,
based on Hophrynus stwri, Haase ; Petrovicia, Fritsch, type P. proditoria, Fritsch ;
Hemikreischeria, Fritsch, based on Kreischeria geinitzi, Thevenin (= thevenina,
Fritsch).’
The typical species of Stenotrogulus, Cyclotrogulus, and Hemikreischeria are
certainly closely related to the species referred here to Hophrynus and Kreischeria,
whatever be the value of the genera themselves. On the latter point, however, I
can give no opinion since I have not seen the type specimens and am unable to
place confidence in Fritsch’s restorations. ‘The same applies to Petrovicia.
Genus EOPHRYNUS, H. Woodward.
1837. COureulioides, W. Buckland, Bridgewater Treatise (2nd ed.), vol. 11, p. 76 (in part, prestviciz).
1871. Hophrynus, H. Woodward, Geol. Mag., vol. viii, p. 386, pl. XL.
1902-1903. Hophrynus, R. I. Pocock, Geol. Mag. [4], vol. ix, pp. 489—448 and 487—493 ; also
vol. x, pp. 250—251.
1904. Hophrynus, A. Fritsch, Paleeoz. Arachn., p. 46.
Type Species. s prestvict (Buckland).
Since no new material of this genus has come to hand since 1902—3, I have
nothing to add to the description I gave of this genusin those years. he difficult
morphological features then discussed remain as obscure as before.
1 Kreischeria geinitzi was cited by Thevenin (Proc. Verb. Soc. d’Hist. Nat. d’Autun, vol. xv, p. 195,
1902), who ascribed the specific name to Brongniart. The species was re-named by Fritsch on the
erounds that Brongniart gave no diagnosis or figure of the animal. I have therefore assigned the
species to Thevenin, who figured and described the type specimen, from the Coal Measures of
Valenciennes in France, as Kreischeria geinitz.
KREISCHERIA. 77
Eophrynus prestvici (Buckland). 'Text-figure 39.
1837. Cureulioides prestvicii, Buckland, Bridgewater Treatise (2nd ed.), vol. ii, p. 77, note, pl. xlvi,
fig. 2.
1871. Hophrynus prestvicii, H. Woodward, Geol. Mag., vol. viii, pp. 8386—388, pl. xi.
1902. Hophrynus prestvicii, R. I. Pocock, Geol. Mag. [4], vol. ix, pp. 440, fig. 1 on p. 490.
1904. Hophrynus prestvicii, A. Fritsch, Paleoz. Arachn., pp. 46—48, with fig.
The typical example of this species, discovered by Mr. W. Anstice and described
Fie. 39.—Eophrynus prestvici (Buckland) ; nearly twice nat. size—Coal Measures; Coseley, near Dudley.
A. Dorsal surface.—1 to vi, appendages of the prosoma of the left side; car., carapace; gen. tg. and
1 tg., first tergal plate of the opisthosoma apparently composed of the ter: oral elements of two somites ;
2 tg., second ter eal plate representing the first large tergal plate exposed i in Anthracomartus and other
genera; 3 tg. to 8 tg., third to the eighth tergal “plates. B. Lateral view of carapace.—o., eyes. C.
Ventral surface.—1r to v1, coxe of postoral appendages ; me., maxillary process of palpus; pr. st.,
sternum of prosoma; 7 st. to 9 st., sterna of first to ninth somites of the opisthosoma ; 8 tg., lower side
of the median lamina of the last tergal plate visible on the dorsal side; 9 tg., tergal plate of annuliform
ninth somite; 1/0 tg., anal operculum or tergal plate of tenth somite. From Geol. Mag. [4], vol. ix,
p. 490.
by Dean Buckland, came from Coalbrook Dale in Shropshire; the specimen
described by Dr. Woodward and subsequent authors came from Dudley.
Genus KREISCHERIA, Geinitz.
1882. Kreischeria, H. B. Geinitz, Zeitschr. deutsch. geol. Ges., vol. xxxiv, p. 238, pl. xiv.
1890. Kreischeria, E. Haase, Zeitschr. deutsch. geol. Ges., vol. xlii, p. 642, pl. xxx, fig. 6
1904. Kvreischeria, A. Fritsch, Paleoz. Arachn., p. 50, fig. 63.
This genus, the type of which is KX. wiedei, Geimitz, differs from Hophrynus at
least in having the median sulcus of the carapace longer, wider, and expanding
posteriorly, and the eyes well in advance of the middle of this plate. These
78 TERRESTRIAL CARBONIFEROUS ARACHNIDA.
differences result from the greater development of the pre-ocular, and lesser
development of the post-ocular region of the carapace in Hophrynus than im
Kreischeria. In both these genera, as in Aphantomartus, it is quite clear that the
eyes are situated upon that part of the median area of the carapace that corres-
ponds to the anterior of the three pairs of lobes or segments of the lateral horizon-
tally extended area.
The figures and description of the typical specimen of JX. wiedei, published by
Haase and Fritsch, are so irreconcileably discrepant that an accurate conception of
the structure of the fossil is impossible. The species described below as new is
certainly akin to that species, and I have decided on that account to refer it to the
Oy AFA)
|
y
N
Fia. 40.—Kreischeria verrucosa, sp. n.; dorsal surface, about three times nat. size-—Coal Measures; South
Wales. Museum of Geological Survey, London.
genus AKreischeria ; but if the restoration of KX. aiedei given by Fritsch is, as he
claims, accurate, a new genus will probably have to be erected for K. verrucosa.
Kreischeria verrucosa, sp. noy. Plate III, fig. 5; Text-figure 40.
Carapace with four large and low suboval tubercles, lying behind the ocular
tubercle and between it and the anterior end of the median sulcus, and set end to
end in a rosette-shaped pattern; the anterior sulcus of the median area passing to
the angle formed by the point of contact of the two tubercles on each side; a
small median tubercle in the angle of the rosette just behind the ocular tubercle ;
the summit of the median elevated area of the carapace coarsely and rather closely
tubercular; the sloping sides of the elevated area apparently smooth; the three
segments of the horizontally extended area similarly tubercular, although the
APHANTOMARTUS. 79
inner portion of the median of the three laminz is apparently smooth; all the
tubercles irregular in size and more or less anastomosing; the central groove
smooth. The entire dorsal surface of the opisthosoma covered with tubercles of
varying size, which on the obverse show up as a number of pits separated by a
network of ridges. Hach of the posterior seven tergal plates, with exception of
the seventh, divided more or less distinctly into five areas, a median elevated area,
the pleural lamina on each side, and an intermediate area separated apparently by
a joint from the pleural lamina, but only by a groove from the median more
elevated area; the latter witn two large tubercles, one on each side of the middle
line, in addition to the smaller tubercles; the intermediate areas and the pleural
lamin each with one large tubercle, so that in all there are six rows of large
tubercles on the dorsal surface. The structure of the seventh tergal plate is
obscure; there are possibly two large tubercles on its median area, but there
appear to be none on its pleural and median lamine. The opisthosoma is evenly
ovate in outline, being widely rounded in front, with its posterior extremity
narrower and more truncated, and armed apparently as in Hophiynus with two pairs
of short spiniform processes. The seventh tergal plate from the end, i.e. the
first of the terga invariably shown in the Anthracomarti, is considerably longer
than those that succeed it, but is otherwise similar to them, except that its
intermediate area is marked in front with a groove defining a small lanceolate
area. In front of this tergal plate there is a large plate with convex anterior
border and marked with a transverse sinuous groove dividing it into an anterior
shorter and a posterior longer portion, each of which may perhaps represent a
tergal element; the posterior longer area has a distinct but small and triangular
pleural lamina.
Measurements in mi.—Total length probably about 26; width of carapace
about 10; length of opisthosoma 18, width 14:5.
Coal Measures of South Wales; Craigola Vein about 200 yards 8.W. of
Glyn-coch Farm.
Type and only known specimen (Nos. 25,020, 25,021) in the Museum of the
Geological Survey, Jermyn Street.
Genus APHANTOMARTUS, nov.
Generic Characters.—Carapace with its median area longitudinally oblong and
elevated; the elevated area divided with a transverse groove into two subequal
portions, and marked with a deep median groove which passes forwards from the
posterior border of the posterior portion on to the anterior portion, where it
bifurcates on each side of the median ocular tubercle, which is situated
near the anterior border of the anterior area. This tubercle bears a pair of eyes.
80 TERRESTRIAL CARBONIFEROUS ARACHNIDA.
In front of the eye-bearing elevated portion there is a slightly lower anterior
projection, about equal to it in width, the sides of which diverge posteriorly and are
continuous with the lateral edge of the carapace; the summit of this projection is
compressed to form a median crest with smuous edges. The lateral portions of
the carapace are depressed, somewhat widely extended beyond the elevated
median area and marked with four grooves, the anterior of which is nearly
longitudinal and lies alongside the anterior median projection; the following two
are oblique, the first of them joining at its posterior end the transverse sulcus of
the elevated area. The posterior groove is transverse and nearly in a line with the
posterior border of the elevated area; it defines laterally the posterior part of the
carapace, which is a short, wide area lying behind the median elevated portion ;
the posterior border of this, which abuts against the opisthosoma, is straight. The
posterior angles of the carapace are rectangular, and the lateral margins slightly
convex but becoming more strongly so anteriorly, where they curve inwards and
forwards to meet the lateral margins of the anterior projecting portion ; where the
three posterior grooves reach the lateral margin they form angular projections
making the lateral margin irregular in outline.
The opisthosoma shows only seven tergal plates ; its anterior border where it
abuts against the prosoma is straight; its sides-are convex; at its widest it is as
wide as the prosoma, and is narrowed and oval behind. The posterior border
of all the tergal plates is straight and transverse, except of the last. Each
plate is marked on each side by a sulcus separating a pair of lateral lamine from
the wider median portion of the tergum ; these lateral plates are four-sided, with
the exception of those of the seventh segment, which are triangular.
Type Species.—Aphantomartus aveolatus, sp. nov.
Although obviously related to Hophrynus and Kreischeria, judging from the
shape and segmentation of the carapace, this new genus decidedly differs from
both not only in the structural details of that plate but also in those of the
opisthosoma. For example, there is no sign of any segment or segments in front
of the seventh from the end, and the posterior border of all the tergal plates is
straight from side to side instead of presenting a strong recurvature at least in the
posterior part of the body. The opisthosoma of Aphantomartus, indeed, differs very
markedly from that of all the described genera of Hophrynide, especially at its
posterior extremity. Some of it may possibly be buried in the matrix or missing,
but the appearance of the fossil does not bear out this suggestion, the plausibility
of which is further lessened by the occurrence of the same features in three
specimens.
It is also possible that the peculiarities in the structure of the opisthosoma are
due to immaturity, a possibility supported in a measure by the small size of the
specimens as compared with the types of Kvreischeria verrucosa and of Hophrynus
prestvict. But although the possibility that the pleural lamine increase in size
APHANTOMARTUS. 81
with growth must be borne in mind, there is as yet no evidence of the fact; and
even were it known to be the case, the species now under discussion could not
be assigned either to Hophrynus or Kreischeria on account of the structure of the
carapace and the sculpturing of the opisthosoma.
Aphantomartus areolatus, sp. nov. Plate III, fig. 6; Text-figure 41.
5
Carapace wider than long, its median area with areolate sculpturing of large,
low, contiguous tubercles, its lateral portions nearly smooth, slightly depressed.
Terga of opisthosoma covered with large, low, mostly flattened tubercles, irregular
in shape and varying in size; the first tergum with a large polygonal central
tubercle encircled by smaller tubercles ; between these and the pleural sulcus there
Fic. 41. --Aphantomartus areolatus, gen. et sp. n.; six times nat. size.—Coal Measures; South Wales.
Museum of Geological Survey, London. a., dorsal surface ; b., lateral view of carapace; ¢., ventral
surface of opisthosoma.
are several more tubercles, one of which on the postero-lateral angle of the median
area of the tergum is a little more conspicuous than the rest, and subconical; the
pleural plate also tubercular, one tubercle near its middle posteriorly being a little
larger than the others. The succeeding terga very similarly sculptured, but with
the large tubercle on the pleural plate and on the admedian side of the pleural
sulcus still more conspicuous. These larger tubercles are not, however, present
apparently on the tergum of the seventh segment.
Measurements in mm.—Total length about 9; length of carapace about 4,
width 5; length of opisthosoma 5, width a little less.
Coal Measures of $8. Wales: Mynyddislwyn vein; Gwernan level, three-
quarters of a mile 8.E. of Maes-y-cwmmer, and one-third of a mile H. of the Boot.
Type, above deseribed, Nos. 25016 and 25017 in the Museum of the Geological
Survey, Jermyn Street.
There is also a specimen (No. J. P. 5654) from the same locality and formation
11
82 TERRESTRIAL CARBONIFEROUS ARACHNIDA.
in the Museum of the Geological Survey, which I regard as the posterior portion
of the ventral surface of the opisthosoma of the same species. It 1s somewhat
strongly convex from side to side, and like the ventral surface of Hophirynus
prestvicii appears to be smooth, except for a few small symmetrically-arranged
tubercles. The posterior portion of the fossil, however, is marked with a network
of ridges, which I interpret as the pattern of the dorsal surface shown by the
crushing of the sterna on the terga. The anal operculum is subterminal. In
front of it there are seven concentrically curved plates, with the concavity of their
posterior borders looking backwards; the first and second of these are much
shorter than those that succeed them, the latter being subequal in length. The
second plate is as wide as the third; the first, however, is much narrower, and
tapers away to a point laterally. Total length and width about 5 mm.
A third specimen in the same collection (No. J. P. 402—403), also from the
Mynyddishvyn vein in the Lebanus Colliery, by the roadside, two-thirds of a mile
N. of Tredegar Junction, is represented by the posterior six segments of the
opisthosoma, showing the characteristic sculpturing clearly on some of the plates.
The total length and width are about 4°5 mm.
The species described by Scudder as Anthracomartus pustulatus (Proc. Amer.
Acad. Arts Sci., vol. xx, p. 18, 1884; Mem. Bost. Soc. Nat. Hist., vol. iv, p. 452,
pl. xl, figs. 5 and 8, 1890) shows many points of resemblance to this genus, and
possibly belongs to it. In any case it cannot be referred to Anthracomartus. This
specimen, from Mazon Creek, Illinois, appears to be either an impression of the
dorsal surface or the underside of the dorsal exoskeleton, the pattern being a
network of ridges circumscribing sunken polygonal “cells” or depressions. It
may be noted that the posterior borders of the pleural plates and of the terga are
in the same straight line, and that there is a long median groove on the carapace
as in Aphantomartus areolatus. The pattern of the sculpturing, however, is
different from that of the British species.
Order OPILIONES or ANTHRACOMARTI (?).
With considerable hesitation I refer to the Order Opiliones an Arachnid on a slab
of shale from the Kiltoung Coal Seam, Ellismuir, sent to me by Mr. Robert Dunlop,
who discovered it in 1888. It was in Dr. Peach’s hands for some time, but was
apparently never figured or described. The structural characters of the fossil are
not sufficiently well preserved to make their exact interpretation possible. Since
the surface is evidently closely granular I infer that the dorsal side is exposed, but
owing to its being crushed, the outlines of the cox of at least the two posterior
pairs of appendages are shown, and render obscure the form of the carapace in its
NEMASTOMOIDES. 85:
posterior region. From the shape of the fossil and the great length of the
appendages I propose to identify it provisionally as :
Nemastomoides elaveris, hevenin. ‘Text-figure 42.
1902. Nemastomoides elaveris, A. Thevenin, Bull. Soc. Géol. France [4], vol. i, p. 609, pl. xiii, fie. 2.
1904. Nemastomoides elaveris, A. Fritsch, Paleeoz. Arachn., p. 29, fig. 34.
The carapace appears to be broad in front and to have the antero-lateral angles
subrectangular. Its anterior portion in front of the coxe of the legs of the third
pair is higher in the middle than at the sides, and has a central longitudinal groove
Fic. 42.—? Nemastomoides elaveris, Thevenin; suggested restoration of the dorsal surface, five times nat. size.—
Coal Measures; Ellismuir. R. Dunlop Collection.
posteriorly. The coxee of the third and fourth pairs of legs do not appear to meet
in the middle line; those of the third pair diverge transversely in the same straight
line; those of the fourth pair, about equal to them in size, diverge obliquely back-
wards, and between them there appears to be a triangular plate which must
probably be regarded as the first sternal plate of the opisthosoma seen vaguely
through the median area of the first tergal plate of that region. It is marked with
a pair of distinct tubercles, belonging probably to the sculpturing of the dorsal
surface. Behind this plate the outline and segmentation of the opisthosoma
are clearly seen. Its shape is semi-elliptical, being broad in front, gradually
narrowed and rounded behind. There are six distinct plates with their anterior
and posterior borders subparallel, each consisting of a median area and a pair
of uptilted pleural lamine, as in typical Anthracomarti; the pleural lamin
84: TERRESTRIAL CARBONIFEROUS ARACHNIDA.
of the last are quite small, and there is no evidence that there was a median
unpaired extension of the last beyond the anus, which is not shown. The width
of the opisthosoma is about equal to its length from the posterior end to the
apex of the triangular imtercoxal plate, the length from the latter point to the
anterior end of the prosoma being a little longer than the length of the last four
segments of the opisthosoma. The sculpturing of the opisthosoma consists of
close-set granulation broken up into larger, indefinitely tubercular areas.
Leg of the fourth pair with its trochanter, femur, and patella almost as long as
the entire body ; leg of first pair extraordinarily long and slender, the femur alone
exceeding the entire length of the body.
Measurements in min.—Total length 6; length of the last six segments of the
opisthosoma 3, width of the latter region 3°5; width of anterior portion of
prosoma 3, its length to the anterior groove 1:7; femur of fourth leg about 4, of
first leg about 7.
The specimen above described came from the Kiltoung Coal Seam, Ellismuir,
Baillieston, in Scotland, and is in the Collection of Mr. Robert Dunlop.
The type of N. elaver’s was from the Coal Measures at Commentry, in
France.
VANE al
Fig.
1. Anthracoscorpio dunlopi, sp. nov.; dorsal view of type and only known
specimen, nat. size.—Upper Coal Measures, Drumeray, near Airdrie,
Lanarkshire. R. Dunlop Collection. The outlines of the carapace
and of the anterior terga of the opisthosoma are more clearly
defined than in the original.
2. Anthracoscorpio buthiformis, sp. nov.; sternal means of prosoma and
tergal plates of opisthosoma, three times nat. size.—Coal Measures ;
Coseley, near Dudley. B. M. no. I. 1555.
2a. Ditto; dorsal view, three times nat. size.—Ibid. W. Egginton Collec-
tion, no. 43. The anterior border of the carapace is much more
clearly shown than in the original.
3. Geralinura britannica, sp. nov.; dorsal view of type specimen, three
times nat. size.—Ibid. W. Egeginton Collection, no. 51. The
outlines of the segments of the chela are more clearly shown than
in the original.
4. Greophonus anglicus, sp. nov.; dorsal view, three times nat. size.—Ibid.
W. Egginton Collection, no. 40.
4. Ditto; dorsal view of type specimen, two and a half times nat size.—
Ibid. W. Egginton Collection, no. 1.
4). Ditto; sternal surface of prosoma and tergal plates of opisthosoma,
two and a half times nat. size—Ibid. W. Egeinton Collection,
no. 20.
4c. Ditto; same surfaces as in fig. 4), three times nat. size.—Ibid. W.
Egeinton Collection, no. 2.
4d. Ditto; dorsal view of carapace, four times nat. size.—Coal Measures,
near Neath, South Wales. Museum of Geological Survey, Jermyn
Street, London.
PAGE.
PALAZONTOGRAPHICAL SOCIETY. 1I9ILO.
Pocock, British Carboniferous Arachnida. Pee
1. nat.size.
GM Woodward del.et lith. West, Newman imp.
fs
i
Al
PLATE II.
Fic.
1. Anthracoscorpio buthiformis, sp. nov.; dorsal view of type specimen,
four times nat. size.—Coal Measures; Sparth, near Rochdale.
W. A. Parker Collection.
2. Hobuthus holti, sp. nov.; ventral view, nat. size.—Ibid. F. Holt
Collection.
2a. Ditto (?); ventral view of posterior end of opisthosoma, nat. size.—
Coal Measures ; Shipley, near Nottingham. lL. Moysey Collection.
2b. Ditto (?); dorsal view of same specimen, showing tergal plates
crowded together and overlapping, nat. size.
Geralinura britannica, sp. nov.; dorsal view, three times nat. size.—
Ibid. L. Moysey Collection.
4. Hocteniza silvicola, gen. et sp. nov.; dorsal view of type specimen,
three times nat. size-—Coal Measures; Coseley, near Dudley. W.
EKegeinton Collection.
5. Plesiosiro madeleyi, gen. et sp. nov. ; dorsal view, five times nat. size.—
Ibid. W. Egeinton Collection, no. 4.
Poliochera alticeps, sp. nov.; dorsal view of type specimen, seven times
nat. size.—Ibid. W. Egeinton Collection, no. 6.
7. Curculioides ansticii, Buckland; dorsal view, four times nat. size.—
Ibid. W. Egeinton Collection, no. 33.
7a. Ditto; ventral view of same specimen (exact shape of coxe doubtful),
os
.
(or)
four times nat. size.
PAGE.
24.
14.
15.
30.
39.
PALAEONTOGRAPHICAL SOCIETY. 1910.
Pocock, British Carboniferous Arachnida. iene
Se
2a. nat.stze
2. natstize
2b. natsize
Ta. x 4
G.M.Woodward del.et lith. d West, Newman imp.
PAE Te
Fic.
1. Geraphrynus torpedo, sp. nov.; dorsal surface of type specimen from
below, four times nat. size.—Coal Measures; Coseley, near Dudley.
W. Egginton Collection, no. 10.
la. Ditto; ventral surface of same specimen from above, four times nat.
size.
2. Geraphrynus angulatus, sp. nov.; dorsal surface of type specimen from
below, four times nat. size-—Ibid. Wheelton Hind Collection.
2a. Ditto; ventral surface of same specimen from above, four times
nat. size.
3. Anthracomartus hindi, sp. nov.; dorsal surface of type specimen from
below, twice nat. size.—Ibid. Museum of Geological Survey,
Jermyn Street, no. 12148.
4. Trigonotarbus johnsoni, gen. et sp. nov.; dorsal surface of type
specimen, seven times nat. size—Ibid. W. Egginton Collection,
no. 7.
4a. Ditto; ventral surface of same specimen, seven times nat. size.
5. Kreischeria verrucosa, sp. nov.; dorsal view of type specimen, two and
a half times nat. size.—Coal Measures; South Wales. Museum of
Geological Survey, Jermyn Street, nos. 25,020—21.
6. Aphantomartus areolatus, gen. et sp. nov.; dorsal view of type
specimen, five times nat. size—Coal Measures ; South Wales.
Museum of Geological Survey, Jermyn Street, nos. 25,016—17.
Pace.
5A.
54.
64.
PALZZONTOGRAPHICAL SOCIETY, I9IO.
Pocock, British Carboniferous Arachnida. Pie
G.M.Woodward del.et lith. : c West,Newman imp.
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