(ii.) The Philodrominae have the cephalothorax more rounded in front, and the legs, especially the second pair, usually longer than in the Thomisinae. There are ten genera, of which the most important is Philodromus, which numbers about a hundred species. They are active spiders, living upon bushes and trees, and most of them are inhabitants of temperate regions. We have about twelve species in the British Isles. The commonest is Ph. aureolus, which is abundant on bushes in most parts of the country. Some species are very prettily marked, and one, Ph. margaritatus (Fig. [213], C) presents a very good example of protective coloration, being almost indistinguishable on the blue-grey lichen on tree trunks, where it lies in wait for insects.
Another important genus, including some fifty species, is Thanatus, extending from tropical to arctic regions, but very sparingly represented in England. Th. striatus (= hirsutus) occurs occasionally, and one example of the fine species Th. formicinus has been taken in the New Forest. The members of this genus as a rule affect dry and sandy habitats.
The genus Tibellus includes few species, but has a wide distribution. The type species T. oblongus (Fig. [213], D) is found in the temperate regions all over the world, and is common in England. It is a pale straw-coloured spider with a much elongated abdomen. It closely resembles the stems of dry grass in hue, and when alarmed it remains perfectly still with its legs embracing the stem and its abdomen closely applied to it.
(iii.) The Sparassinae[[321]] include most of the large Latigrade forms, and number about forty genera.
Heteropoda venatoria is a cosmopolitan species, and though proper to warm countries, is often introduced here on hothouse plants, and has been known to establish itself in the open air in botanical gardens. Our only indigenous member of this sub-family is Micrommata virescens (Fig. [213], A). This striking spider is found, though rarely, in the south of England. The female is half an inch in length and of a vivid green hue, while the more cylindrical abdomen of the male is yellow with three longitudinal scarlet lines. Other genera are Sparassus, Torania, and Delena.
(iv.) The Aphantochilinae include two curious genera which are exclusively American. The labium is much reduced and the sternum is shortened, terminating between the third pair of legs. The species of Aphantochilus are largish, glossy-black spiders, sometimes spotted with white. Some of them mimic ants of the genus Cryptocerus. The other genus is Bucranium.
(v.) The Stephanopsinae include about sixteen genera, of which the best known are Stephanopsis and Regillus. There are about fifty species of Stephanopsis, most of them Australian, while the eight species of Regillus belong to Africa and South Asia.
The mimetic form Phrynarachne decipiens has already been alluded to (see p. [374]).
(vi.) The Selenopinae consist of a single genus, Selenops, of which ten or twelve species are known, some of which are very widely distributed, though confined to hot regions. These spiders, which are all large, are easily recognised by their extremely flat bodies and the peculiar arrangement of their eyes, all eight of them being placed more or less in a single transverse line.
Fam. 28. Zoropsidae.—The Zoropsidae are cribellate spiders of large size, with well-developed scopulae on tarsi and metatarsi. The cribellum is divided, and the calamistrum, which is very short, is not well developed. Most are inhabitants of hot regions, where they live under stones or bark. Zoropsis has six species, chiefly inhabitants of North Africa, though representatives occur on the European side of the Mediterranean. Acanthoctenus has two species in South and Central America.