On the spider genus Cynapes (Araneae : Salticidae) F. R. Wanless Department of Zoology, British Museum (Natural History), Cromwell Road, London SW7 5BD Introduction The genus Cynapes Simon, 1900 at present includes two known species, the type species Cynapes wrightii (Blackwall) from the Seychelles and C. baptizatus (Butler) from Rodriguez. Two species previously included in the genus are removed elsewhere: C. albolineatus (Peckham & Peckham) from Madagascar is returned to Bavia Simon, 1877, the genus in which it was originally described, while C. canosus Simon from Mauritius is transferred into Marengo Peckham & Peckham, 1892 . Cynapes baptizatus and Marengo canosa comb. nov. are described below. C. wrightii has not been included because it has recently been described elsewhere (Wanless, in press). Bavia albo-lineata comb. rev. will be dealt with when Bavia is revised as preliminary observations suggest that this placement is doubtful, unfortunately I am unable to propose a more satisfactory solu-tion at the present time. Wanless (in press) has suggested that Cynapes may be synonymous with Baviola Simon, 1897. The structure of the genitalia shows that the genera are closely related, but they can be separated by the shape of the carapace and eye formula. These latter characters were extensively used by early salticid workers for defining genera and the failure to consider genitalic characters has largely resulted in the present unsatisfactory taxomony of the family. Somatic characters can nevertheless provide evidence of relationships particularly in cases when the genitalia are relatively simple and of similar forms. For the present, Cynapes is therefore considered to be a valid genus, but it may ultimately be synonymized with Baviola or, as seems more likely, be given a subgeneric rank. Subgenera have not often been used in this family and they cannot for the moment be justified as too many tropical Salticidae are poorly known, and it is impossible to present an overall view of the relationships. Genus CYNAPES Simon Cynapes Simon 1900 : 393. Type species Salticus wrightii Blackwall, by original designation. Simon, 1901 : 462, 467, 469, 471. Petrunkevitch, 1928 : 186. Bonnet, 1956 : 1334. Wanless (in press). DEFINITION. Medium to large spiders ranging from about 5-0 to 8-0 mm in length. Species sexually dimorphic. Distinctive colour markings present, not hirsute. Legs I heaviest especially in females. Carapace: longer than broad, moderately low with convex lateral margins; fovea in shallow depression behind PL. Eyes: anteriors subcontiguous, apices more or less level or slightly recurved; posterior median eyes small, slightly closer to AL than to PL; posterior and anterior rows subequal in width; quadrangle length between 40 and 50 per cent of carapace length. Clypeus: low. Chelicerae: robust, moderately porrect, sometimes with an apophysis on anterior surface; promargin with 3 or 4 teeth, retromargin with 6 or 7. Maxillae: moderately elongate, parallel or slightly convergent. Labium: elongate tongue-shaped. Sternum: scutiform to elongate scutiform, sometimes slightly narrowed anteriorly. Abdomen: elongate with a pattern; spinnerets closely grouped, posteriors slightly longer than the rest, anteriors more robust; tracheal spiracle a transverse slit just in front of the anterior spinnerets or positioned midway between the middle of the abdomen and the anterior spinnerets (internal system not examined). Legs: legs I heaviest, sometimes with scanty ventral fringes; not scopulate, spines numerous and strong on legs I-II but fewer and weaker on legs III-IV. Epigyne: simple and of similar forms; orifice Bull. Br. Mas. not. Hist. fZooU 37 (1) : 67-72 Issued 29 November 1979