A new species of Physocyclus (Araneae: Pholcidae) from Mexico.

The genus Physocyclus (Pholcidae) is widely distributed in North and Central America, with the exception of the Antilles (Platnick 2013). Physocyclus species are found in various environments, including xeric shrub zones and tropical deciduous forests. The genus is also common in caves and rock shelters, including deep caves with complete darkness (Valdéz-Mondragón 2008). Hitherto, 31 species of Physocyclus have been described (Platnick 2013). In this paper a new species is described from Mexico. The specimens were collected in Baja California Sur, in a coastal oasis adjacent to the Pacific coast (Fig. 1). Measurements are given in mm. Female genitalia were cleaned with 10% lactic acid for 1–2 min. Photographs were taken with a camera adapted to a stereomicroscope (MZ6, Leica Mycrosystems). In vivo photographs were made with a digital camera (Alpha NEX-5N, Sony). The terminology is based on Valdez-Mondragón (2008). Abbreviations in the text and figures are: ALE (anterior lateral eyes), PLE (posterior lateral eyes), AME (anterior median eyes), PME (posterior median eyes), LA (lateral apophysis of chelicerae), SO (stridulatory organs), DA (dorsal apophysis of procursus), VN (ventral notch of procursus), E (embolus), EE (embolic sclerites), SO (spermatic operculum), VA (ventral apophyses of epigynum), PP (porous plates of the epigynum). The specimens have been deposited in the Colección Aracnológica del Centro de Investigaciones del Noroeste (CARCIB) and the California Academy of Sciences (CAS).