Mitopus morio

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Mitopus morio
Mitopus morio 254.jpg
Mitopus morio
Scientific classification OOjs UI icon edit-ltr.svg
Domain: Eukaryota
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Arthropoda
Subphylum: Chelicerata
Class: Arachnida
Order: Opiliones
Family: Phalangiidae
Genus: Mitopus
Species:
M. morio
Binomial name
Mitopus morio
(Fabricius, 1779)
Synonyms [1]
List
  • Mitopus borealis (Thorell, 1876)
  • Mitopus californicus Banks, 1901
  • Mitopus montanus Banks, 1901
  • Mitopus scaber Roewer, 1912
  • Oligolophus kulczynskii Strand, 1900
  • Oligolophus vagans Strand, 1900
  • Opilio affinis Koch, 1848
  • Opilio albescens Koch, 1848
  • Opilio albipes Doleschall, 1852
  • Opilio alpinus Herbst, 1799
  • Opilio canescens Koch, 1839
  • Opilio cinerascens Koch, 1839
  • Opilio cinerascens Koch, 1848
  • Opilio crypturum Koch, 1836
  • Opilio fasciatus Koch, 1835
  • Opilio grossipes Herbst, 1799
  • Opilio inermis Doleschall, 1852
  • Opilio petrensis Koch, 1861
  • Opilio rhododendri Koch, 1869
  • Opilio rufescens Koch, 1848
  • Opilio serripes Koch, 1848
  • Opilio similis Koch, 1848
  • Phalangium morio Fabricius, 1779
  • Phalangium palliatum Latreille, 1798
  • Phalangium urnigerum Hammer, 1804

Mitopus morio is a species of harvestman arachnid belonging to the family Phalangiidae. [2]

Contents

Distribution

This species occurs in Europe, North Africa, Asia and in North America. [3] [4]

Habitat

This very common species inhabits different biotopes, forests, heath and moorland, spruce forests, beech forests. meadows, human settlements and gardens, from the lowlands to the mountains. [3] [5] [6]

Description

Close-up on the body Phalangiidae - Mitopus morio-001.JPG
Close-up on the body

Mitopus morio can reach a body length of about 4–6 millimetres (0.16–0.24 in) in males, of about 4–8.5 millimetres (0.16–0.33 in) in females. [5] However the body size is quite variable. The body is ovate, slightly narrower in the male. The head shows various tiny bumps. The eyes are small and narrow, longer than wider, with a varying number of small spikes around the eyebrow. Also color is rather variable, but males are usually brown-colored, where as females are darker. A dark irregular saddle-like area is always present on the back, sometimes with narrow white edges and a longitudinal pinkish stripe in the centre. The legs varies from yellowish-brown to dark brown and are thin and long. [3] The length of the longest of the second pair of legs is 30–40 mm. Males have sharp, forward-pointing tooth under first segment of chelicera. [7]

This species is rather similar and may be confused with the females of Phalangium opilio . [3]

Biology

Adults can be found from the middle of May until the middle of November, [8] depending on the location. Eggs hatch at the end of March. [5] These harvestmen feed on small insects and other small arthropods. [3] [5] Mitopus morio has been observed to walk using its first, third, and fourth sets of legs, using the unusually long second pair of legs to feel in front of it and probe its environment.

Bibliography

Related Research Articles

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<span class="mw-page-title-main">Opiliones</span> Order of arachnids (harvestmen/daddy longlegs)

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<span class="mw-page-title-main">Cyphophthalmi</span> Suborder of harvestmen/daddy longlegs

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<i>Leiobunum rotundum</i> Species of harvestman/daddy longlegs

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<span class="mw-page-title-main">Nipponopsalididae</span> Family of harvestmen/daddy longlegs

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References

  1. IRMNG
  2. Biolib
  3. 1 2 3 4 5 Natura Bohemica (in Czech)
  4. Fauna Europaea
  5. 1 2 3 4 J.K. Lindsey [http:/ /www.commanster.eu/commanster/Invertebrates/Spiders/SpSpiders/Mitopus.morio.htm Ecology of Commanster]
  6. Spider and Harvestman Recording Scheme website
  7. Bug Guide
  8. Inaturalist