Page:The Salticidae (Spiders) of Panama.djvu/8

 system with minor changes although he has frequently expressed his dissatisfaction with it.

Banks ('29) recognized among his Panamanian spiders only the subfamilies Attinae and Lyssomaninae. The former he separated into the following groups: Marpissini, Rudrini, Dendryphantini, Habrocestini, Ballini, Amycini, Phyalini, and Synemosynini. Bryant ('40) followed Petrunkevitch's Systema Aranearum "since it includes all spider genera known up to that time and is the one at present used in the Zoological Record".

After struggling with this problem for several years I have decided to recognize for the present only two subfamilies, the Lyssomaninae and the Salticinae. The latter I have broken up into several groups based upon what I regard as features which express a natural relationship. In the light of knowledge which has accumulated during the past fifty years I think considerable success may attend the effort to arrange all of the Salticidae from Panama into their natural groups, although I realize quite well that few will be satisfied with my treatment of these. It is, however, my earnest hope that the work presented in this paper will help later students of the family to resolve the troubles which they are certain to encounter. For convenience, all genera and species are arranged alphabetically within their respective groups.

Through their generous support of my work, the directors of the Horace H. and Mary A. Rackham Fund have made it possible for me to spend the summers of 1934, 1936, and 1939 in Panama collecting and studying in the field. Mr. Nathan Banks, Dr. Joseph C. Bequaert and Miss Elizabeth B. Bryant, all of the Museum of Comparative Zoölogy at Harvard College, have on numerous occasions since 1934 extended every courtesy of their laboratories to me. The use of the collections of spiders in the Museum of Comparative Zoölogy and especially of the Peckham types of salticids have been of inestimable value. A grant-in-aid for the summer of 1945 made by Dr. Thomas Barbour, Director of the Museum of Comparative Zoölogy, made it possible for me to complete this study. It is with a deep sense of gratitude that I make acknowledgements for these specific aids and for others too numerous to mention. Without the help of these supporters and friends my work of the past ten years would have been impossible.

I am also pleased to be able to state that all types established in this paper are deposited in the Museum of Comparative Zoölogy.