The taxonomic status of two poorly described Chinese spiders: Cheiracanthium gobi Schmidt & Barensteiner, 2000 (Araneae: Cheiracanthidae) and Alopecosa hoevelsi Schmidt & Barensteiner, 2000 (Araneae: Lycosidae).

This article reassesses the taxonomic status of two poorly described spider species from the Gobi Desert in China: *Cheiracanthium gobi* (family Cheiracanthidae) and *Alopecosa hoevelsi* (family Lycosidae), both originally described by Schmidt and Barensteiner in 2000. Examination of the holotype male of *C. gobi* supports its validity as a distinct species based on unique morphological features, though its relationship to the female-only described *Cheiracanthium potanini* remains unresolved pending further material. In contrast, *A. hoevelsi* is designated as a species inquirenda due to the poor condition of the holotype female, limited genitalia data, and the need for additional specimens, especially males, to clarify its taxonomic placement within the *Alopecosa* genus. The study highlights challenges in spider taxonomy arising from incomplete original descriptions and specimen preservation. [Extracted from the article]