Aptostichus cajalco Bond 2012

Specimen preparation and condition. Specimen collected from pitfall trap, preserved in 80% EtOH. Coloration in good condition. Pedipalp, leg I left side removed, stored in vial with specimen. General coloration. Carapace, chelicerae, legs yellowish red 5YR 4/6. Abdomen uniform brown 7.5YR 4/3, distinct dorsal mottled chevron markings (Fig. 323). Cephalothorax. Carapace 3.66 long, 3.04 wide, glabrous, stout black bristles along fringe; surface smooth, pars cephalica elevated. Fringe, posterior margin with black bristles. Foveal groove deep, strongly recurved. Eyes on low mound. AER slightly procurved, PER slightly recurved. PME, AME subequal diameter. Sternum moderately setose, appears round in shape, STRl 2.02, STRw 1.82. Posterior sternal sigilla small, positioned away from margin but not in center, not contiguous, anterior sigilla pairs small, oval, marginal. Chelicerae with distinct anterior tooth row comprising 4 teeth, posterior margin with single row of small denticles. Palpal endites, labium, lacks cuspules, LBw 0.60, LBl 0.29. Rastellum consists of ~8 stout spines not on prominent mound. Abdomen. Setose, heavy black setae intermingled with fine black setae. Legs. Leg I: 3.88, 3.20, 2.39, 1.68, 1.20; leg IV: 3.68, 2.20. Very light to no tarsal scopulae on legs I, II. Tarsus I with single, slightly staggered row of 11 trichobothria. Leg I spination pattern illustrated in Figures 324, 325, 327; TSp 8, TSr 5, TSrd 0; distinct short spines on ventral surface tarsus I. Pedipalp. Palpal tibia short, width more than half-length, with distinct patch of medial/distal retrolateral spines (Fig. 326). Palpal bulb short; embolus stout, dorsal-ventrally flattened with slight curvature at its midpoint, serrated distally. PTw 0.68, PTl 1.34, Bl 0.60. Variation (5). Cl 3.63-4.08, 3.87±0.09; Cw 3.01-3.48, 3.20±0.1; STRl 1.98-2.25, 2.14±0.06; STRw 1.74-2.03, 1.91±0.06; LBw 0.60-0.68, 0.62±0.02; LBl 0.34-0.39, 0.36±0.01; leg I: 3.72-4.10, 3.87±0.06; 3.08-3.26, 3.15±0.03; 2.26-2.48, 2.36±0.04; 1.56-1.70, 1.63±0.03; 1.10-1.20, 1.15±0.02; leg IV: 3.57-4, 3.75±0.09; 2.08-2.29, 2.18±0.03; PTl 1.28-1.39, 1.31±0.02; PTw 0.66-0.75, 0.71±0.02; Bl 0.60-0.71, 0.66±0.02; TSp 8-11, 9.80±0.73; TSr 3-7, 5.20±0.8; TSrd 0-0, 0±0.

Aptostichus cajalco is known only from the type locality, adjacent to “Cajalco Canyon” in Riverside County. The habitat is California coastal chaparral. Males disperse in late summer and early fall (August, September) before the winter rains. A single, highly degraded specimen resembling Aptostichus cajalco was collected in a pitfall trap from the vicinity of Yucaipa, California.