The harvestman genus Philora Goodnight & Goodnight 1954 and the type species P. tuxtlae are redescribed, and Philora quetzalzin new species is described. The genus is newly assigned to the family Stygnopsidae Sørensen 1932 based on external morphology and male genitalia, which are described herein for the first time. The genus is compared with the morphologically similar genera Paramitraceras Pickard-Cambridge 1905, Sbordonia Šilhavý 1977, and Troglostygnopsis Šilhavý 1974 sensu stricto. Philora is unique within the family in having a scutum completum. The presence of a scutum completum in Philora and others laniatoreans is discussed. The male genitalia of the genera Paramitraceras, Philora, Troglostygnopsis and presumably the genus Sbordonia, are very similar and share a morphological pattern described here as the Paramitraceras-pattern.