| Leiobunum rotundum | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Female L. rotundum | |
Scientific classification  | |
| Domain: | Eukaryota |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Arthropoda |
| Subphylum: | Chelicerata |
| Class: | Arachnida |
| Order: | Opiliones |
| Family: | Sclerosomatidae |
| Genus: | Leiobunum |
| Species: | L. rotundum |
| Binomial name | |
| Leiobunum rotundum (Latreille, 1798) | |
| Synonyms | |
Phalangium rotundum Contents | |
Leiobunum rotundum is a species of harvestman that is found within the western portion of the Old World.
Leiobunum rotundum is chestnut-brown, with a small, smooth, and very long round or oval body and thin black legs, [1] as well as having no separation between the head and the abdomen. The harvestman's legs can be self-amputated if it is in danger of predation, but they do not regenerate. Although the harvestman has no fangs, poison glands, or silk glands, it can protect itself with the scent glands on the front of its body. The scent glands produce a secretion that repels predators. [2] The species has three different types of nephrocytes. Numerous large nephrocytes occur in clusters between the muscles in the anterior region of the body. Smaller nephrocytes are scattered throughout the body, often stuck to tracheoles. The third type of nephrocyte is attached to the heart wall by connective ligaments. [3] The morphology of the tracheae in this species is very similar to that of Nemastoma lugubre . [4]
This harvestman is widespread throughout Britain, including the Channel Islands. It can also be found on the Canary Islands and in Africa. [2] As at 2023 this species is regarded as newly introduced to British Columbia in Canada and Washington in the United States. [5]
The species can be found among vegetation such as long grass, herbaceous plants, shrubs, and trees.
The harvestman eats a wide range of small invertebrates, alive or dead. Small invertebrates that it eats include caterpillars, mites, woodlice, and slugs. It drinks a lot of water, especially dew. It will sometimes suck the juice out of overripe or bruised fruit such as windfall apples. The harvestman sometimes goes to outside lights to eat insects that are attracted to the light. [1]
Arachnida is a class of joint-legged arthropods, in the subphylum Chelicerata. Arachnida includes, among others, spiders, scorpions, ticks, mites, pseudoscorpions, harvestmen, camel spiders, whip spiders and vinegaroons.
The Opiliones are an order of arachnids colloquially known as harvestmen, harvesters, harvest spiders, or daddy longlegs. As of April 2017, over 6,650 species of harvestmen have been discovered worldwide, although the total number of extant species may exceed 10,000. The order Opiliones includes five suborders: Cyphophthalmi, Eupnoi, Dyspnoi, Laniatores, and Tetrophthalmi, which were named in 2014.
Ricinulei is a small order of arachnids. Like most arachnids, they are predatory, eating small arthropods. They occur today in west-central Africa (Ricinoides) and the Americas as far north as Texas. As of 2021, 91 extant species of ricinuleids have been described worldwide, all in the single family Ricinoididae. In older works they are sometimes referred to as Podogona. Due to their obscurity they do not have a proper common name, though in academic literature they are occasionally referred to as hooded tickspiders.
Mites are small arachnids. Mites span two large orders of arachnids, the Acariformes and the Parasitiformes, which were historically grouped together in the subclass Acari. However, most recent genetic analyses do not recover the two as each other's closest relative within Arachnida, rendering the group non-monophyletic. Most mites are tiny, less than 1 mm (0.04 in) in length, and have a simple, unsegmented body plan. The small size of most species makes them easily overlooked; some species live in water, many live in soil as decomposers, others live on plants, sometimes creating galls, while others are predators or parasites. This last type includes the commercially destructive Varroa parasite of honey bees, as well as scabies mites of humans. Most species are harmless to humans, but a few are associated with allergies or may transmit diseases.
The chelicerae are the mouthparts of the subphylum Chelicerata, an arthropod group that includes arachnids, horseshoe crabs, and sea spiders. Commonly referred to as "jaws", chelicerae may be shaped as either articulated fangs, or as a type of pincers. Some chelicerae, such as those found on nearly all spiders, are hollow and contain venom glands, used to inject venom into prey or a perceived threat. Both pseudoscorpions and harvestmen have additional structures on their chelicerae that are used for grooming.
Dicranopalpus ramosus is a species of harvestman. Males are up to 4 mm long, females can reach up to 6 mm. Both sexes have very long legs, with a distinct elongated apophysis that reaches almost to the end of the tibia. This makes their pedipalps look forked. Their body is brownish with dark markings, the females being lighter colored.
Cyphophthalmi is a suborder of harvestmen, colloquially known as mite harvestmen. Cyphophthalmi comprises 36 genera, and more than two hundred described species. The six families are currently grouped into three infraorders: the Boreophthalmi, Scopulophthalmi, and Sternophthalmi.
Mitopus morio is a species of harvestman arachnid belonging to the family Phalangiidae.
Leiobunum is a genus of the harvestman family Sclerosomatidae with more than 100 described species. Contrary to popular belief, they are not spiders, although they share a resemblance. They are arachnids, in the order Opiliones, harvestmen. Species in Leiobunum tend to have relatively long legs compared with other harvestmen, and some species are gregarious.
Phalangium opilio is a species of harvestman belonging to the family Phalangiidae.
Troglosironidae is a family of harvestmen with seventeen described species in a single genus, Troglosiro, which is found on the island of New Caledonia, in the Pacific Ocean.
Nipponopsalididae is a family of harvestmen with three described species in one genus, Nipponopsalis, which is found in East Asia.
Opiliones are an order of arachnids and share many common characteristics with other arachnids. However, several differences separate harvestmen from other arachnid orders such as spiders. The bodies of opiliones are divided into two tagmata : the abdomen (opisthosoma) and the cephalothorax (prosoma). Unlike spiders, the juncture between the abdomen and cephalothorax is often poorly defined. Harvestmen have chelicerae, pedipalps and four pairs of legs. Harvestmen were traditionally thought to have two eyes, except in the case of eyeless species. Developmental genetic work has shown that living species retain up to six eyes, including one pair of rudimentary median eyes and one pair of rudimentary lateral eyes.
Leiobunum blackwalli is a species of harvestman. It is found in Europe, but has been introduced to British Columbia in Canada and Seattle in the United States.
Trogulus tricarinatus is a species of harvestman. It is found in Europe and North America.
Tetrophthalmi is an extinct suborder of Opiliones that had both median and lateral eyes. First described in 2014, it is known from two extinct species. Phylogenetic analysis suggests that this eye arrangement is the ancestral condition for harvestmen, placing Tetrophthalmi and Cyphophthalmi in a basal position within Opiliones.
Nemastomatinae is a subfamily of harvestmen with over 125 described species in 19 (extant) genera. They are usually found in temperate regions.
Forsteropsalis pureora is a species of long-legged harvestman in the family Neopilionidae. This species is endemic to New Zealand, found in the North Island. They are found in native forest, often resting on vegetation or stream banks.
Forsteropsalis photophaga, also known as the glow-worm hunter, is a species of long-legged harvestman in the family Neopilionidae. This species is endemic to New Zealand, found in North Island caves in the vicinity of Waitomo. The name "photophaga" comes from their habit of feeding on the luminescent larvae, pupae, and adults of the New Zealand glow-worm Arachnocampa luminosa.
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