Unidentified Harvestman - Bucks

[Bruce Williams]

Stony Stratford, Bucks. On fence beneath ash trees - near large pond.

Help with identification appreciated.



Bruce

[Pudding4brains]

I have disallowed myself to say anything ID-ish about short legged, thorny headed harvesters until I've sat down and properly 'studied' them, but I'm sure some of the others will be able to put a name on her. Meanwhile, have a good look up close at the ocularium on a bigger crop of your original and tell us if the ocularium is mostly smooth (tiny spines max) or if it clearly sports tubercles - (looks like the former).

Cheers, Arp

[Bruce Williams]

Does this help any Arp?



Bruce

[Pudding4brains]

Yes Bruce, that should be enough to pin a species name on her

(but like I said, I'm going to refrain from doing that - I make too many mistakes with these still)

I'm sure the others will come up with an ID soon enough though, this should be one of the easier species

[Bruce Williams]

Thanks for your help Arp, perhaps someone else may have a view?

With some trepidation I've had a go at identifying this harvestman myself using the only reference book I have - "British Harvestman" by J.H.P Sankey and T.H. Savory, 1974. To be honest I don't find this the easiest book to use. However from what I've read I think that Oligolophus agrestis (I believe now known as Paroligolophus agrestis) is a fairly close fit. However I'm far from confident so would appreciate confirmation or otherwise from any of our experts please.

The book suggests that the ocular is smooth and the trident is very variable in this species with the middle denticula being the most prominent.

Bruce

[Geoff F]

Had the same problem myself recently. The reddish colouration suggests P.agrestis but are the femora rounded or angular? Angular would point more towards P. tridens. They look a bit angular but is it just a trick of the light and some longitudinal black lines?

You could try a look at this site which was recommended by Arp Fotogalerie Arachnida Hope you speak German! If not click the down arrow where it says Gattungsauswahl in the top left corner and pick the latin names. I find this site useful inspite of the language problem.

Also consider P. meadii and P. hanseni but if I had to put money on it I would probably go for P. agrestis with part of the 'trident assembly' missing or indistinct.

[Bruce Williams]

Thanks Geoff.

I had along look through the German website's images of P. agrestis , comparing their pics side-by-side on screen with my own images and I'm now as confident as ever I could be that my harvestman is P. agrestis.

With the smooth (denticulae free) and light coloured ocularium P. hansenii and P. meadii would seem to be unlikely. Also Sankey and Savory's book does say that the trident on P. agrestis can be very variable.

Bruce