Argon–argon radiometric dating of ash layer "+19", which is slightly lower in the strata then the "insect beds", has determined a 54.04 ± 0.14 million years ago age.

Other insect genera that share a similar disjunct distribution include the mecopteran Cimbrophlebia, the green lacewing Protochrysa and the bull dog ant Ypresiomyrma.

[2] The Fur formation represents a marine depositional environment of the inland water body which is ancestral to the North Sea.

[2] All three Okanagan Highlands sites represent upland lake systems that were surrounded by a warm temperate ecosystem with nearby volcanism.

[3] The highlands likely had a mesic upper microthermal to lower mesothermal climate, in which winter temperatures rarely dropped low enough for snow, and which were seasonably equitable.

The CLAMP results after multiple linear regressions for Republic gave a mean annual temperature of approximately 8.0 °C (46.4 °F), with the LMA giving 9.2 ± 2.0 °C (48.6 ± 3.6 °F).

[1] Of the study material, the holotype specimens of all four species, along with paratypes for P. abruptus and P. angustifasciatus were deposited in the Geological Museum, University of Copenhagen.

[2] Andersen (2001) placed the new genus into the family Psychopsidae based on the large size of the wings, the dense vein structure, and his interpretation that the subcosta (Sc), anterior radial trace (R1), and anterior sectoral trace (R2) veins merged near the wing apex forming a vena triplica structure.

Makarkin and Archibald (2003) called the psychopsid into question based on examination of the P. latifasciatus images in the type description and the venation of P. douglasae.

The MP vein of both the fore and hind-wings notably forks into multiple closely spaced elongate branches, a feature seen in the extinct Jurassic Pterocalla fore-wing, but rare in other genera.

As with many neuropteran genera, trichosors are often present along the rear margins of the wings though preservation makes it hard to identify if it is specific to certain Paleopsychops species or uniform for the genus.

While the hind-wings do not show nygmata, there are trichosors and a coupling apparatus near the wing base typical of polystoechotid group species.

Given the incomplete nature of the fossils however and that dimorphic color pattering is not known in the polystoechotid group genera, the likelihood of this possibility is small.

The name chosen by Andersen (2001) is from the Latin abruptus which means disconnected, a reference to the dark color bands which are interrupted by the clear subcostal space as it runs the wing length.

Both the P. abruptus paratype which has setae, and the P. setosus holotype are fossilized in "unusually" fine grain matrix, allowing for finer details to be preserved.

Andersen (2001) coined the species name angustifasciatus as a combination of the Latin words angustus for "narrow" plus fasciatus meaning banded.

The wing is 45 mm (1.8 in) long with faintly preserved dark toned spots throughout the membrane becoming distinct oblique banding in the costal margin and the over the outer gradate series.

The hind margin sports faintly preserved trichosors and a distal nygma is present between the forks of the Rs vein, as seen in other species.

Archibald & Makarkin (2006) picked the specific epithet as a matronym honoring Sheila Douglas for her paleoentomology work on British Columbian fossils.

The part side of the holotype is broken into two sections with areas of the midwing and wing base missing, and little color patterning visible.

The preserved color pattering shows a trio of broad straight dark toned stripes crossing the wing at an oblique angle.

Additional dashes and spots of dark tone are spread across the wing, with the heaviest concentration in the costal space between the larger color bands.

The holotype was collected by Henrik Madsen from the Ejerslev Molergrav locality of the Fur Formation on Mors,[1] and is complete though indistinctly preserved.

Andersen (2001) selected the Latin maculata, meaning "spotted" for the origin of the specific name noting the distinctly different color patterning if it compared to the other three Danish species at the time.

Archibald and Makarkin (2006) noted that P. maculatus and P. latifasciatus might be one species, based on the similar coloration of the darkened stripes when they cross the subcostal space.

Archibald and Makarkin (2006)chose the species epithet as a matronym recognizing Marringer for finding the fossil and donating it to the Stonerose Interpretive Center.

[2] P. quadratus is known from a Fur Formation part and counterpart fore-wing fossil found on Ejerslev Molergrav, Mors which was originally designated by Andrsen (2001) as "paratype 1" of the species P.angustifasciatus.

The majority of the wing membrane is clear with five thin dark stripes for colorpatterning, three stripes running width wise from front margin to hind margin, and two running across the inner and outer gradate series crossveins, forming a square window of hyaline or light toned membrane in the center of the wing.

Archibald and Makarkin (2006) chose the species epithet as a patronym recognizing Timm for finding the fossil and donating it to the Stonerose Interpretive Center.