Identification, Images, & Information
For Insects, Spiders & Their Kin
For the United States & Canada
 

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Calendar

Upcoming Events

National Moth Week was July 19-27, and the Summer 2025 gathering in Louisiana, July 19-27

Photos of insects and people from the 2024 BugGuide gathering in Idaho July 24-27

Moth submissions from National Moth Week 2024

Photos of insects and people from the 2022 BugGuide gathering in New Mexico, July 20-24

Photos of insects and people from the Spring 2021 gathering in Louisiana, April 28-May 2

Photos of insects and people from the 2019 gathering in Louisiana, July 25-27

Family Phalangiidae

Representative Images

Family Phalangiidae - Odiellus pictus Harvestman - Leptobunus parvulus Mitopus morio (aedeagus) - Mitopus morio - male Harvestman - Phalangium opilio Harvestman - Phalangium opilio - female

Classification

Kingdom Animalia (Animals)
Phylum Arthropoda (Arthropods)
Subphylum Chelicerata (Chelicerates)
Class Arachnida (Arachnids)
Order Opiliones (Harvestmen)
Suborder Eupnoi
Superfamily Phalangioidea
Family Phalangiidae

Other Common Names

daddy-long-legs/daddy-longlegs, harvest spiders, shepherd spiders, phalangids, opilionids

Identification

Adult males with a "bent penes" genital morphology


At the end of each pedipalp there is a small, smooth (vs. toothed) claw on the tarsus. The dorsal surface of the body tends to be ornamented with small spikes.

Range

Widespread throughout the United States and Canada. Most phalangiid genera from US + Canada are non-native

Native genera = Leptobunus & Liopilio in the west, Odiellus in the east

Print References

Cokendolpher, J.C., and V.F. Lee. 1993. Catalogue of the Cyphopalpatores and bibliography of the harvestmen (Arachnida, Opiliones) of Greenland, Canada, U.S.A., and Mexico. Vintage Press: Lubbock, TX, USA. (online PDF)
Contributed by Christopher Hunt on 6 October, 2005 - 2:28pm
Additional contributions by charles_stephen, mhedin
Last updated 5 January, 2017 - 10:14pm

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