Psilochorus topanga Chamberlin & Ivie, 1942

Slowik, Jozef, 2009, A review of the cellar spider genus Psilochorus Simon 1893 in America north of Mexico (Araneae: Pholcidae), Zootaxa 2144, pp. 1-53 : 43

Psilochorus topanga Chamberlin & Ivie, 1942

Figs. 167–175, 193

Types. ɗ holotype, Ψ allotype, one ɗ and one Ψ paratype from Topanga Canyon (34.04 N, 118.58 W), Los Angeles County, California, USA; coll: W Ivie, 18-Mar-1941, AMNH. Paratypes examined.

Diagnosis. Specimens may be distinguished by: male spur short and restricted to the proximal area of the chelicerae (Fig. 168), procursus narrow and ends in a point (Fig. 170), triangular or conical AEP (Figs. 172, 175), MEP and PEP with ridges, MEP ridges are larger than the PEP ridges which may appear flat (Fig. 174).

Male: (Paratype, missing all legs except femur 1) Total length: 2.18; carapace length: 0.84; carapace width: 0.88; femur 1: 4.16; femur1/carapace length: 4.95. Specimen in poor condition but appears to show typical color pattern, red in color. Spur small, triangular (Fig. 167), located on the proximal area of the chelicerae (Fig. 168). Procursus thin, distal area weakly swollen, end pointed, slightly directed ventrally (Figs. 170, 171). Bulb apophysis bifurcate, thin, both parts of roughly equal length, tips rounded (Fig. 169).

Female: (Paratype, missing all legs) Total length: 3.03; carapace length: 0.89; carapace width: 0.89. Specimens in same condition as male. AEP triangular in both lateral and ventral views with the apex located anteriorly (Figs. 172, 175). MEP with two low congruent ridges, apex of ridges pointed (Fig. 172). PEP rounded, lower than MEP in posterior view (Fig. 174).

Remarks. The short male spur may be confused with that of some other species with short spurs, however the procursus and bulb apophysis are distinctive. The conical AEP combined with the MEP ridges being larger then the PEP ridges will separate the females.

Distribution. Known only from Topanga Canyon, Los Angeles County, California.