Diagnoses of genera
of South East Asia: Bristowia (3-4; 3-4).
Although Bristowia is a monotypic genus, specimens of B. heterospinosa
turn up quite regularly in such habitats as garden litter. Surprisingly, the
genus has been neither expanded nor synonymised with a larger genus. From the
side the cephalothorax is almost rhombus shaped with the cephalus flat and the
thorax sloping fairly steeply to the posterior margin. The sides are vertical.
In plan the carapace is U-shaped with somewhat truncate posterior margin. The
abdomen is an elongate oval, narrower than the carapace, and is slightly rounded
at the front and rear. The legs are relatively long and slender, with the femora,
patellae and tibiae of legs I much more robust than any of the other leg segments.
There are very long, strong spines beneath tibiae I and metatarsi I. Although
at first glance the remaining legs appear spineless, there are in fact a few
weak, almost colourless spines. The carapace is deep orange in colour with the
eye surrounds black. On the surface there are numerous minute tubercles each
carrying a stiff black hair. On the thorax and sides these tubercles form lines
that radiate from the fovea. The abdomen is a very pale whitish-orange with
a darkish line running all the way round just inside the perimeter of the abdomen.
There are a few vague dark marks along the median, particularly at the rear.
The swollen segments of leg I are brown and all the other segments are pale
yellowish-orange. Beneath tibiae I there is a substantial fringe of long blackish
hairs.
Distribution: Interestingly, Bristowia was first found on Krakatau, and
more recently in Vietnam. We have found several specimens in P. Malaysia and
Singapore. Murphy &
Murphy 2000: 289-290. By
courtesy of the Authors' and the Malaysian Nature Society.
Copyright © for the page by J. Proszynski, 2000.