Harvestmen
Order Opiliones
The Harvestmen (Order Opiliones) includes 107 species across 20 families and 64 genera in our directory.
About Harvestmen
Opiliones (harvestmen/daddy longlegs) includes ~6,650 described species. Despite common myths, harvestmen are NOT spiders - they have a single fused body (not two segments), no venom glands, and no silk. They are completely harmless.
Economic Impact
Harvestmen have minimal economic impact. They are primarily beneficial as predators of small arthropods and as decomposers of organic matter in forest and garden ecosystems.
Ecological Role
Some harvestmen species practice paternal care - males guard eggs, a rare behavior among arachnids. Many species can detach their legs when caught by predators (autotomy), and the detached leg continues twitching to distract the predator.
Families in Opiliones (20)
Species in Opiliones (107)
Cynortoides quadrispinosa
Cynortoides quadrispinosa
Identification: Per Shahan Derkarabetian , "This species can be easily differentiated from V. ornatus based on several characteristics: 1) C. quadrispinosa has two pairs of spines (on the third and fourth areas) while V. ornatus has one elongate pair
Leiobunum crassipalpe
Leiobunum crassipalpe
Identification: "The male pedipalps are very robust and thick in L. crassipalpe, while they are thin, spiny and curved in L. vittatum. This is probably the most obvious difference. Also, the body of L. crassipalpe tends to be longer and not as tapere
Libitioides ornata
Libitioides ornata
Identification: Two dorso-posterior spines prominent (absent or small in other US species); 'Backbone' (longitudinal yellowish line on dorsum), cheveron, and rib lines present, at least in part (absent in L. sayi , present at least in part in L. albo
Libitioides sayi
Libitioides sayi
Identification: Posterio-dorsal spines lacking (present in L. ornata ); Background color lighter caramel (darker brown in L. alboliniata and L. ornata , although variable in L. albolineata ); Cheveron, backbone, and rib lines absent (present in L. al
Mitopus morio
Mitopus morio
Identification: Voucher male: Habitus: Sharp, forward-pointing tooth under first segment of chelicera: Penis:
Nelima paessleri
Nelima paessleri
Aggregations numbering from 1,500 to 20,000 adults have been found overwintering in caves and mines in Canada. These groups migrate within caves in response to changes in temperature and humidity. The species is not known to aggregate during the warm
Opilio parietinus
Opilio parietinus
Identification: see Hillyard & Sankey (1990):80 and Bishop, S.C. (1949) in Print References below
Ortholasma colossus
Ortholasma colossus
Identification: larger in size than other Californian Ortholasma
Ortholasma coronadense
Ortholasma coronadense
Identification: Body uniform in color, legs not banded with color, femoral false articulations only on legs II and IV (II in particular)
Ortholasma pictipes
Ortholasma pictipes
Identification: Body with median light stripe, leg femora banded
Phalangium opilio
Phalangium opilio
Identification: Males have a large spur/horn on the anterior surface of the first cheliceral segment. Males also tend to have long, thin pedipalps relative to those of other harvestmen. Both sexes have small tubercule-mounted spikes on the anterior s
Sabacon cavicolens
Sabacon cavicolens
DNA sequence data suggests that this species is a complex of at least three cryptic species. Male specimens are known from only one of these.
Siro exilis
Siro exilis
Identification: Exceedingly mite-like, no other similar harvesters occur in its range in the eastern United States.
Acuclavella shoshone
Acuclavella shoshone
Bishop's harvestman
Bishopella laciniosa
Caddo agilis
Caddo agilis
Caddo pepperella
Caddo pepperella
Calicina ensata
Calicina ensata
Calicina galena
Calicina galena
Calicina mariposa
Calicina mariposa
Calicina sequoia
Calicina sequoia
Ceratolasma tricantha
Ceratolasma tricantha
Crosbycus dasycnemus
Crosbycus dasycnemus
Crosbyella distincta
Crosbyella distincta
Cryptomaster leviathan
Cryptomaster leviathan
Cynorta triangulata
Cynorta triangulata
Dalquestia formosa
Dalquestia formosa
Dalquestia rothorum
Dalquestia rothorum
Dalquestia rugosa
Dalquestia rugosa
Dendrolasma mirabile
Dendrolasma mirabile
Eastern Harvestman
Leiobunum vittatum
Enigmina granita
Enigmina granita
Enigmina warrenorum
Enigmina warrenorum
Erebomaster acanthinus
Erebomaster acanthinus
Erginulus subserialis
Erginulus subserialis
Eumesosoma nigrum
Eumesosoma nigrum
Eumesosoma roeweri
Eumesosoma roeweri
Fumontana deprehendor
Fumontana deprehendor
Globipes simplex
Globipes simplex
Hadrobunus grandis
Hadrobunus grandis
Hadrobunus maculosus
Hadrobunus maculosus
Hadrobunus undescribed
Hadrobunus undescribed
Harvestman
Leiobunum politum
Hesperonemastoma modestum
Hesperonemastoma modestum
Leiobunum aldrichi
Leiobunum aldrichi
Leiobunum bimaculatum
Leiobunum bimaculatum
Leiobunum bracchiolum
Leiobunum bracchiolum
Leiobunum calcar
Leiobunum calcar
Leiobunum exilipes
Leiobunum exilipes
Leiobunum flavum
Leiobunum flavum
Leiobunum nigropalpi
Leiobunum nigropalpi
Leiobunum serratipalpe
Leiobunum serratipalpe
Leiobunum townsendi
Leiobunum townsendi
Leiobunum uxorium
Leiobunum uxorium
Leiobunum ventricosum
Leiobunum ventricosum
Leiobunum verrucosum
Leiobunum verrucosum
Leptobunus aureus
Leptobunus aureus
Leptobunus borealis
Leptobunus borealis
Leptobunus californicus
Leptobunus californicus
Leptobunus parvulus
Leptobunus parvulus
Leuronychus pacificus
Leuronychus pacificus
Libitioides albolineata
Libitioides albolineata
Megacina cockerelli
Megacina cockerelli
Megacina schusteri
Megacina schusteri
Metasiro sassafrasensis
Metasiro sassafrasensis
Nelima elegans
Nelima elegans
Nemastoma bimaculatum
Nemastoma bimaculatum
Odiellus nubivagus
Odiellus nubivagus
Odiellus pictus
Odiellus pictus
Oligolophus tridens
Oligolophus tridens
Ortholasma rugosum
Ortholasma rugosum
Paranonychus brunneus
Paranonychus brunneus
Paroligolophus agrestis
Paroligolophus agrestis
Protolophus niger
Protolophus niger
Protolophus singularis
Protolophus singularis
Protolophus tuberculatus
Protolophus tuberculatus
Rilaena triangularis
Rilaena triangularis
Sclerobunus idahoensis
Sclerobunus idahoensis
Sclerobunus nondimorphicus
Sclerobunus nondimorphicus
Sclerobunus robustus
Sclerobunus robustus
Siro boyerae
Siro boyerae
Siro kamiakensis
Siro kamiakensis
Siro sonoma
Siro sonoma
Sitalcina borregoensis
Sitalcina borregoensis
Sitalcina californica
Sitalcina californica
Sitalcina lobata
Sitalcina lobata
Sitalcina peacheyi
Sitalcina peacheyi
Sitalcina rothi
Sitalcina rothi
Sitalcina seca
Sitalcina seca
Sitalcina sura
Sitalcina sura
Stygnomma spiniferum
Stygnomma spiniferum
Taracus gertschi
Taracus gertschi
Taracus packardi
Taracus packardi
Taracus pallipes
Taracus pallipes
Taracus timpanogos
Taracus timpanogos
Taracus ubicki
Taracus ubicki
Texella bifurcata
Texella bifurcata
Theromaster brunneus
Theromaster brunneus
Togwoteeus biceps
Togwoteeus biceps
Tolus appalachius
Tolus appalachius