Three new species of the spider genus Asceua from Malaysia (Araneae, Zodariidae)

Abstract Three new species of the genus Asceua Thorell, 1887, from the natural forests of Malaysia, are described as Asceuabifurcasp. n. (♂♀), A.curvasp. n. (♂), and A.trimaculatasp. n. (♀). The genus Asceua is reported from Malaysia for the first time.

At present, the genus includes 26 species worldwide (World Spider Catalog 2018). Among these, 22 are known from Southeast Asian countries that are close to Malaysia, including Japan, China (Southern part), Vietnam, Myanmar, Cambodia, Philippines and Indonesia; three are known from African countries and islands (Congo, Guinea-Bissau and the Comoros); and one is from Australia. Up until now, one described species is based on the specimen of unknown sex, eight are only known from female specimens and one only from male specimen. The species of this genus should be abundant, but are generally less well-known, and are worthy of further investigation in the future.
During the examination of spider collections from Malaysia, three new Asceua species were recognized and are described here as Asceua bifurca sp. n., A. curva sp. n., and A. trimaculata sp. n.

Materials and methods
All specimens have been kept in 75% ethanol and were examined, drawn, and measured under a Tech XTL-II stereomicroscope equipped with an Abbe drawing device. Photos were taken with a Leica M205A stereomicroscope fitted with a Leica DFC550 Camera and LAS software (Ver. 4.6). Carapace length was measured medially from the anterior margin to the rear margin of the carapace. Eye sizes were measured as the maximum diameter of the lens in dorsal or frontal view. The measurements of legs are shown as total length (femur, patella, tibia, metatarsus, tarsus). Only one specimen of paratypes was measured. The epigynes were cleared in a warm solution of potassium hydroxide, and transferred to 75% ethanol for drawing. All measurements are in millimeters. All specimens studied are deposited in the Museum of Hebei University (MHBU), Baoding, China.  Jocqué, 1986 (from the Comoro Islands) in having a large concavity on the basal embolus and a short conductor. The two species can be easily distinguished by the conductor being bifurcated in the new species, while it is not bifurcated in A. radiosa. The posterior part of the dorsal abdomen has three white median bands in the new species that are absent in A. radiosa (Figs 1A, B, 2A-C, 3A-C). The females of this new species resemble those of A. piperata Ono, 2004 (from Vietnam) in having a hillock between the two copulatory openings, but the two spermathecae are spaced by copulatory ducts in the new species while they are adjacent in A. piperata (Figs 2D, E, 3D, E).
Etymology. The specific name is taken from the Latin word bifurca, in reference to the bifurcated tip of the conductor; adjective.
Palp (Figs 2A-C, 3A-C). Coxae of palps white, other sections brown; length to width ratio of femur 2.6, length to width ratio of patella 1.2; RTA broad, ventral pointed apophysis broad and with trifurcate top, one of the forks longer than the other two forks, dorsal pointed apophysis thumb-like, with a cuticularized sheet situated between ventral and dorsal apophyses; cymbium with broad lateral fold which is wrinkly and with some hairs; conductor short, the tip bifurcated and sclerotized; distal median apophysis bifurcated; embolic base broad and almost an inverted triangle, with a large concavity on the apical margin.
Distribution. Malaysia (Sabah).  Bosmans & Hillyard, 1990 (from Sulawesi, Indonesia) in having the very complicated copulatory organ. The two species can be easily distinguished by: the thinner and longer retrolateral pointed processes of the distal conductor in the new species, which is shorter and bifurcated in A. wallacei; the longer posterior projection of the cymbium in the new species, which is shorter in A. wallacei; and the hook-like median apophysis which is almost straight in A. wallacei (Figs 4C-F, 5A-C).
Etymology. The specific name is from the Latin word curvus, in reference to the shape of the posterior projection of the cymbium; adjective.
Palp (Figs 4C-F, 5A-C). Tibia with two broad apophyses: dorsal apophysis and ventral apophysis, with a large concavity between them, in which fits a posterior projection of the cymbium; cymbium with a median semi-circular projection, which appears to be strongly excavated below in lateral view; tip of median apophysis hook-like; conductor large and semi-circular, with retrolateral and posterior pointed processes, not very chitinised except for the retrolateral processes; embolar base triangular; thread-like embolus very long, at first running to dorsal cymbium, then turning to ventral palp and following dorsal margin of conductor. Female unknown. Distribution. Malaysia (Sabah). Remarks. Eight described Asceua species from nearby countries are only based on female specimens: A. amabilis Thorell, 1897 (from Myanmar), A. anding Zhang, Zhang & Jia, 2012 (from China), A. daoxian Yin, 2012 (from China), A. elegans Thorell, 1887 (from Myanmar), A. kunming Song & Kim, 1997 (from China), A. longji Barrion et al. 2013 (from China), A. piperata Ono, 2004 (from Vietnam), and A. quinquestrigata (Simon, 1905) (from Java). The patterns of the dorsal opisthosoma of these species are different by comparisons of illustrations and descriptions. The first pair of transversal chevrons are reniform in the new species, but are oval or long ovoid in all the other species, except for A. quinquestrigata. However, the new species can be distinguished from A. quinquestrigata by the broad bands on its posterior opisthosoma, which are only small in A. quinquestrigata. Also, the other white patches and transversal stripes on the opisthosoma of the new species contrasts with the lack of stripes in the other seven species except for A. piperata. However, the new species can be distinguished from A. piperata by its immaculate carapace. This new species is thus less likely to be conspecific with any of these 8 species that are only known from female specimens.
Diagnosis. The females of this new species resemble those of A. lejeunei Jocqué, 1991 (from Congo) in having widely spaced copulatory openings, but can be distinguished by the absence of the paired patches of dorsal opisthosoma which are present in A. lejeunei (Fig. 6A-F).
Etymology. The specific name is from the Latin words tri-and maculata, in reference to the three patches on the dorsal opisthosoma.
Male unknown. Distribution. Malaysia (Pahang). Remarks. Asceua septemmaculata (Simon, 1893a) was described based only on a male specimen from Cambodia. The patterning of the dorsal opisthosoma differ, in that the pairs of white patches present in A. septemmaculata are absent in the new species, and it is unlikely that the latter is conspecific with A. septemmaculata.
Comments. There are five Asceua species in the adjacent region that are lacking illustrations: A. bimaculata (Simon, 1904) (from Vietnam), A. heliophila (Simon, 1893b) (from Philippines), A. septemmaculata, A. amabilis and A. quinquestrigata. The descriptions of the sexual organs were very simple. The three new species described here have to be distinguished by different patterns of the dorsal opisthosoma. Asceua trimaculata sp. n. lacks pairs of white patches that all the five known species above possess. Asceua bifurca sp. n. differs from the five species by the rectangular white bands on its dorsal opisthosoma. Asceua curva sp. n. differs from them by possessing the chevron patterning.