Deinopidae Asianopis

Asianopis sp. "Common Singapore"

Common Singapore Net-casting Spider

Spiders of the genus Leptodeinopis have a pair of almost adjacent rounded ridges projecting from the fovea, and culminating as a pair of horned or thickened processes directly over the PME (at 12 o’clock position; see previous page). The PME are grossly enlarged and narrowly separated by less than a diameter. They are surrounded by blade-like setae, with extraordinarily longer and broader setae projecting outward or forward – like eyelashes. Characteristically, the basal end of femur I is thickened and covered densely with blade-like setae.

The male may be recognised by a narrow but distinct median V-shaped stripe covered with white plumose setae extending from the posterior edge of the carapace to the roof of the PME. The coiled embolus characteristic of the family is shown clearly in the upper left picture.