In this paper are reported the results of the Author's observations on the reproduction of Japansee Agelenid Spiders collected every month in Miyazaki Prefecture.
1. All of the three species of this genus were observed on their life cycle through a year. (Tabl 1.)
2. Sex ratio of Agelenid spiders has become clear by counting both adult sexes during the mating period. (Table 2.)
3. The sex ratio is different not only with species but also with the individuals of the same species.
4. After copulation, the appetite of the female spiders sharply increases, and they eat the male spiders (fig. 1.) and the other spiders as well.(Table 3)
5. The shape of the egg-cocoon varies with species. However all of the cocoons are made of double silk sheets. The eggs are neatly piled inside the inner silk. A female spider usually produces only an egg-cocoon during her life span with some exceptions in which two or three are porduced.

View full abstract

The animals were extracted and researched by the Berlese funnels from the soil inside and outside of the Tanuki-ana Cave, a small cave, located in Akiyoshi plateau, Yamaguchi Prefecturh (Nov. 25. 1956), and of the several small caves at Yanadani-mura, Ehime Prefecture (from Mar. 10 to 15, 1957). Only the mites and a small number of collembola were found in the cave. On the contrary, outside the cave, insects, arachnids, opiliones, pseudoscorpiones, myriapods, crustaceans, annelides and plathelmintes besides the mites and collembola were found From the soil of 1200cc in the Tanuki-ana Cave, 190 individuals ans 15 species belon-ging to 12 families of the mites were found, and from the same quantity of the soils outside of the same cave, 130 individuals and 17 species belonging to 12 families of them (Table 1). The species found bath inside and outfide of the caves were 6 in number. From the soils of every 500cc in all the four caves of Nakakubo district at Yanadani-mura, 35 individuals and 7 species belonging to 4 families were found (Table 2), and from the same quantity of the soil at the outside of Hiura-dô Cave of Nakakubo district, 188 individuals and about 40 spe-cies belonging to 23 families of them (Table 3). The species found both inside and outside of the caves were only 3 species.
It is thought that the soil inside of the caves at Nakakubo district is in bad condition to the cave inhabitants in respect of both temperature and food but excluding humidity, while that of the Tanuki-ana Cave is fairly in the best con-dition in respect of temperature, humidity, and food, the last of which is pro-bably carried there by small mammals and the like.
The excrements of the bat are to be the important source of nutrition to the cave ilfe, but they wre not found in the caves of the both districts which were studied this time. In the guano of Miniopterus sghreibersii in the best conditions of the humidity at the shiragatake-shin-do Cave, Odamachi, Ehime Prefecture, a plenty of the mites and beetles such as Gamasides, Uropodes and Ptiliid beetles discovered by the writer, July 5, 1958.

View full abstract

Till now, about a score of cave-inhabiting spiders have already been reported from some caves in Japan by K. Kishida, J. Ishikawa, T. Komatsu, T. Uyemura, T. Habe, S. Nomura, S. Ueno and T. Yaginuma.
Although in these spiders are sometimes found various stages of reduction of eyes, no eyeless spider has yet been recorded. Recently, however, the author had an oppotunity to examine a small spider, collected from a hollow in a limestone cave in Kochi Prefecture, which shows apparently a form for isolated dwelling in a dark cave by lacking eyes. In this paper is reported a new eyeless species of Archerius; which, however, has eyes in American species.
The specific name was given in honour of Mr. Kiyoshi Nakahira who discove-red the present species.
(_??_) Cephalothorax convex, longer than wide. Anterior part of the head roun-ded. Clypeus vertical. Eyes entirely wanting, and even their vestiges invisible, only a few hairs remaining. All grooves or furrows on carapace obsolete. Tarsus of palp without claw. Upper margin of fang furrow with three teeth, lower also with three but small. Sternum as long as broad. Maxillae wide, converging in front of labium. Labium fused to sternum.Legs 4. 1. 2. 3, scopulae and claw tufts wanting. Posterior legs with weak spines on each tibia. Tarsus longer than metatarsus. Tarsal claws three; upper claws with four extremely small teeth increasing distally in length. These teeth unrecognizable without careful observation. Serrated brisles as usually seen in Theridiidae, wanting, but hairs on the undersid-es of all tarsi and metatarsi weakly serrated. Abdomen long oval, with many reddish brown sclerotized spots with a hair on each, scattered closely on the en-tire dorsum. Anterior part of abdomen overlapping the hind part of thorax. A ventral scutum extending forward to encircle the pedicel, covers 2/3 of the vent-er, and with a pair of small oval holes of spiracles in anteriar part. Posterior tracheal spiracle transverse, a little advanced from spinnerets, and near to epi-gynum situated at the end of the scutum. Spinnerets sorrounded by mammillary wall. Colulus small but distinct. Total length 1.8mm.
Colour: Body and appendages yellowish brown. Margin of sternum, ventral scu-tum and posterior tracheal spiracle reddish brown. Abdomen yellowish brown with many reddish brown spots.
Locality and Date: Shobudo cave, Kochi Prefecture, Japan.
(Collected by Mr. Nakahira, Aug. 8, 1958)
Remarks: Present specier belongs to the genus Archerius which was establis-hed by H. W. Levi 1957, and is distinguished from Archerius mendocino LEVI by the absence of eyes, small colulus and the shape of eyigynum. The characteristics of present species indicates also those of Symphytognathidae which is sometimes treated as distinct family. The author has another species of which was identified by H. W. Levi, and wil be described by prof. OI in near future.

View full abstract