Asiopisinus cheni, Hu & Wei & Liu & Xu, 2025

Hu, Changhao, Wei, Mian, Liu, Jie & Xu, Xiang, 2025, Asiopisinus gen. nov., a new genus of the family Theridiidae Sundevall, 1833 (Araneae, Theridiidae) from eastern Asia, Zootaxa 5660 (4), pp. 475-504 : 478-482

Asiopisinus cheni sp. nov.

Figs 1A , 2A , 3A , 4A, B , 6 , 7 , 14A, B , 15A, B , 16A, B , 22

Type material. Holotype ♂: CHINA, Hubei Province: Enshi Tujia and Miao Autonomous Prefecture , Xuan’en County, Qizimeishan National Nature Reserve , Changtanhe Dong Auton. Township , Qizimeishan Mountain ; 30.0292°N, 109.7292°E; elev. 1300 m; 6‒11 July 2023; C.H. Hu & M. Wei leg. ( QZMS00346 , in CBEE) . Paratypes: 5♂ 7♀, same data as for holotype (QZMS00342, 00343, 02849, 04586‒04593, 04595, in CBEE) .

Etymology. This species is named after the Chinese arachnologist: Prof. Jian Chen (Hubei University, Wuhan, China), who makes great contribution to Chinese arachnology.

Diagnosis. The male of Asiopisinus cheni sp. nov. resembles those of A. ornithorrhynchus ( Liu, Agnarsson, Liu & Zhu, 2022) comb. nov. (cf. Fig. 6 and Fig. 12 ) and A. pseudonubilus (Liang, Liu, Yin & Yu, 2025) comb. nov. (cf. Fig. 6 and Liang et al. 2025: figs 5D–F, 6) in having a nearly triangular embolic base (EB) and embolus (E) arising from embolic base at 3 o’clock position, but can be distinguished from A. ornithorrhynchus by: 1) sperm duct (SD) in tegulum (T) almost parallel to margins of embolic base (vs. unparallel); 2) median apophysis (MA) extended to 2/3 of width of bulb in ventral view (vs. 4/5) and 3) lateral margin of prolateral arm of conductor (PC) with a rounded angle (vs. with an acute angle [arrow in Fig. 12A ]); can be distinguished from A. pseudonubilus by 1) median apophysis extended to 2/3 of width of bulb in ventral view (vs. 1/2); and 2) sperm duct in embolic base strongly curved to C-shaped in ventral view (vs. slightly curved to S-shaped).

For female see diagnosis under Asiopisinus anfu (Liang, Liu, Yin & Yu, 2025) comb. nov.. The female of A. cheni sp. nov. also resembles that of A. pseudonubilus (Liang, Liu, Yin & Yu, 2025) comb. nov. (cf. Fig. 7 and Liang et al. 2025: figs 7D–F, 8) by having spermathecae (S) divided into 2 equal spherical portions, but can be recognized by lateral part of copulatory ducts (CD) curved (vs. straight).

Description. Male (holotype): Measurements: Total length 3.59. Carapace 1.54 long, 1.37 wide. Opisthosoma 2.08 long, 1.51 wide. Eyes: AME 0.10, ALE 0.11, PME 0.10, PLE 0.09, AME‒AME 0.09, AME‒ALE 0.03, PME‒ PME 0.08, PME‒PLE 0.07, AME‒PME 0.12, ALE‒PLE 0.03. Measurements of legs: I 6.55 (1.91, 0.57, 1.74, 1.76, 0.57), II 4.48 (1.48, 0.43, 1.01, 1.00, 0.56), III 3.34 (1.10, 0.35, 0.63, 0.70, 0.56), IV 7.19 (2.16, 0.61, 1.61, 2.06, 0.75).

Palp ( Fig. 6 ): Sperm duct (SD) almost parallel to margins of embolic base (EB). Median apophysis (MA) extending to 2/3 of width of bulb in ventral view. Prolateral arm of conductor (PC) nearly triangular, lateral margins of prolateral arm of conductor S-shaped (red line in Fig. 6A ), posterior corner of prolateral arm of conductor with 4 denticles. Embolic base slightly triangular, with sperm duct (SD) C-shaped. Embolus (E) arising from embolic base at 3 o’clock position.

Colouration ( Figs 14A , 15A , 16A ): Carapace brown, with yellowish-brown margins. Cephalic region red. Fovea black. Endites with gray distal parts. Sternum dark brown. Legs yellow to brown. Opisthosoma brown, dorsum with 2 thick white longitudinal stripes located laterally and several white transversal stripes, venter with posterior white transversal stripe.

Female (paratype): Measurements: Total length 4.26. Carapace 1.67 long, 1.43 wide. Opisthosoma 2.87 long, 2.45 wide. Eyes: AME 0.11, ALE 0.13, PME 0.12, PLE 0.11, AME‒AME 0.07, AME‒ALE 0.02, PME‒PME 0.08, PME‒PLE 0.10, AME‒PME 0.15, ALE‒PLE 0.03. Measurements of legs: I 6.45 (1.91, 0.55, 1.50, 1.94, 0.55), II 4.41 (1.43, 0.49, 0.91, 1.02, 0.56), III 3.55 (1.02, 0.44, 0.70, 0.86, 0.53), IV 7.16 (2.04, 0.65, 1.55, 2.18, 0.74).

Epigyne ( Fig. 7 ): Copulatory ducts (CD) with coiled portion partly covered by spermathecae (S) and 3-shaped portion located lateral spermatheca. Spermatheca consisted of double spherical portions.

Colouration ( Figs 14B , 15B , 16B ): As in males, but darker.

Distribution. Known only from the type locality ( Fig. 22 ).

Figures

FIGURE 1A‒C. Living females. A Asiopisinus cheni sp. nov. B A. nubilus (Yaginuma, 1960) comb. nov. C Episinus nanyue Yin, 2012.

FIGURES 2A‒F. Cymbium of Asiopisinus spp. and Episinis spp. A A. cheni sp. nov. B A. implicatus (Liang, Liu, Yin & Yu, 2025) comb. nov. C A. nubilus (Yaginuma, 1960) comb. nov. D A. ornithorrhynchus (Liu, Agnarsson, Liu & Zhu, 2022) comb. nov. E E. longabdomenus Zhu, 1998 F E. xiushanicus Zhu, 1998. Abbreviations: Al—alveolus; CH—cymbial hook; CP—cymbial process. Scale bars: 0.2 mm.

FIGURES 3A‒D. A‒C Legs I and II of male Asiopisinus spp., ventral view (A A. cheni sp. nov. B A. nubilus (Yaginuma, 1960) comb. nov. C A. ornithorhynchus (Liu, Agnarsson, Liu & Zhu, 2022) comb. nov.) D chelicerae of male A. nubilus (Yaginuma, 1960) comb. nov., posterior view. Scale bars: 0.2 mm (A‒C), 0.1 mm (D).

FIGURES 4A‒F. Chelicerae of Asiopisinus spp., anterior view A, B A. cheni sp. nov. C A. implicatus (Liang, Liu, Yin & Yu, 2025) comb. nov. D, E A. nubilus (Yaginuma, 1960) comb. nov. F A. ornithorrhynchus (Liu, Agnarsson, Liu & Zhu, 2022) comb. nov. (A, C, D, F male, B, E female). Scale bars: 0.1 mm.

FIGURES 6A‒F. Left male palp of Asiopisinus cheni sp. nov. A prolateral view, red line shows lateral margin of prolateral arm of conductor B ventral view C retrolateral view D expanded bulb, prolateral view E expanded bulb, ventral view F expanded bulb, dorsal view. Abbreviations: DC—distal arm of conductor; E—embolus; EB—embolic base; MA—median apophysis; PC—prolateral arm of conductor; SD—sperm duct; ST—subtegulum; T—tegulum; TA—tegular apophysis. Scale bars: 0.2 mm.

FIGURES 7A‒B. Epigyne of Asiopisinus cheni sp. nov. A ventral view B dorsal view. Abbreviations: A—atrium; CD— copulatory ducts; FD—fertilization ducts; S—spermathecae; Se—septum. Scale bars: 0.1 mm.

FIGURES 12A‒F. Left male palp of Asiopisinus ornithorrhynchus (Liu, Agnarsson, Liu & Zhu, 2022) comb. nov. A prolateral view, arrow points to the angle on lateral margin of prolateral arm of conductor B ventral view C retrolateral view D expanded bulb, prolateral view E expanded bulb, ventral view F expanded bulb, dorsal view.Abbreviations: DC—distal arm of conductor; E—embolus;EB—embolicbase; MA—medianapophysis; PC—prolateral armof conductor;SD—spermduct;ST—subtegulum; T—tegulum; TA—tegular apophysis. Scale bars: 0.2 mm.

FIGURES 14A‒H. Habitus of Asiopisinus spp., dorsal view A, B A. cheni sp. nov. C, D A. implicatus (Liang, Liu, Yin & Yu, 2025) comb. nov. E, F A. nubilus (Yaginuma, 1960) comb. nov. G, H A. ornithorrhynchus (Liu, Agnarsson, Liu & Zhu, 2022) comb. nov. (A, C, E, G male B, D, F, H female). Scale bars: 1 mm.

FIGURES 15A‒H. Habitus of Asiopisinus spp., ventral view A, B A. cheni sp. nov. C, D A. implicatus (Liang, Liu, Yin & Yu, 2025) comb. nov. E, F A. nubilus (Yaginuma, 1960) comb. nov. G, H A. ornithorrhynchus (Liu, Agnarsson, Liu & Zhu, 2022) comb. nov. (A, C, E, G male B, D, F, H female). Scale bars: 1 mm.

FIGURES 16A‒H. Habitus of Asiopisinus spp., lateral view A, B A. cheni sp. nov. C, D A. implicatus (Liang, Liu, Yin & Yu, 2025) comb. nov. E, F A. nubilus (Yaginuma, 1960) comb. nov. G, H A. ornithorrhynchus (Liu, Agnarsson, Liu & Zhu, 2022) comb. nov. (A, C, E, G male B, D, F, H female). Scale bars: 1 mm.

FIGURE 22. Distribution of Asiopisinus spp. 1 A. anfu (Liang, Liu, Yin & Yu, 2025) comb. nov. 2 A. baoshanensis (Liu, Irfan & Peng, 2019) comb. nov.3 A. cheni sp. nov. 4 A. implicatus (Liang, Liu, Yin & Yu, 2025) comb. nov. 5 A. nubilus (Yaginuma, 1960) comb. nov. 6 A. ornithorrhynchus (Liang, Liu, Yin & Yu, 2025) comb. nov. 7 A. pseudonubilus (Liang, Liu, Yin & Yu, 2025) comb. nov. 8 A. yoshidai (Okuma, 1994) comb. nov..