Opiliones on WAB

[Pudding4brains]

Hi All,

This thread inspired me to do a little "garbage collecting" to see how many of the not so very many British Harvestman species are actually 'represented' with images on WAB (oh well, and WATW ;o) ).

This is just a little 'for fun' list. I'm actually pretty much a total nincompoop when it comes to Opiliones, so of many species I can't even tell if the ID is right and I can only add very limited suggestions for ID on still "unidentified" images, but maybe by starting this thread we can make it a community effort to find all the Opiliones in the Archive/Gallery and stick names on them.

So, this is just a start and all I have time for tonight ... many images/species are probably not listed here as I have not spend a lot of time searching, and very probably a fair amount of wrong IDs ... but hey, gotta start somewhere ;oP

PLEASE DO ADD OTHERS/CORRECTIONS!!

Thanks to Paul I found this checklist to go by:

Leiobunidae
===========
Dicranopalpus ramosus (Simon, 1909)
Leiobunum blackwalli Meade, 1861
Leiobunum rotundum (Latreille, 1798)
Nelima gothica Lohmander, 1945

Nemastomatidae
==============
Centetostoma bacilliferum (Simon, 1879)
Mitostoma chrysomelas (Hermann, 1804)
Nemastoma bimaculatum (Fabricius, 1775)

Phalangiidae
============
Lacinius ephippiatus (C.L.Koch, 1835)
Lophopilio palpinalis (Herbst, 1799)
Megabunus diadema (Fabricius, 1779)
Mitopus morio (Fabricius, 1799)
Mitopus morio var. ericaeus Jennings, 1962
Odiellus spinosus (Bosc, 1792)
Oligolophus hanseni (Kraepelin, 1896)
Oligolophus tridens (C.L.Koch, 1836)
Opilio canestrinii (Thorell, 1876)
Opilio parietinus (Degeer, 1778)
Opilio saxatilis C.L.Koch, 1839
Paroligolophus agrestis (Meade, 1855)
Paroligolophus meadii (O.P.-Cambridge, 1890)
Phalangium opilio Linnaeus, 1758
Rilaena triangularis (Herbst, 1799)

Sabaconidae
===========
Sabacon viscayanum ramblaianum Martens, 1983

Sclerosomatidae
===============
Homalenotus quadridentatus (Cuvier, 1795)

Trogulidae
==========
Anelasmocephalus cambridgei (Westwood, 1874)
Trogulus tricarinatus (Linnaeus, 1767)

So, Here Are Some:

Leiobunidae
Dicranopalpus ramosus (female & male)
More: here, here, here, here, here.


Leiobunum rotundum (female & male):
More: here, here, here, here, here, here; But these??: Izzit??, Izzit??.

Unsure:
Current ID is "Phalangium opilio" which it's not. I'm guessing maybe Leiobunum blackwalli, but I have no idea what Nelima gothica looks like or what other British species (not in the list?) might fit the bill???

Leiobunum blackwalli: No images yet or see above?? Or what about this: blackwalli fem.??

Nelima gothica: No images yet, or see above??


Nemastomatidae
Centetostoma bacilliferum: No images yet??

Mitostoma chrysomelas:
(image on WATW)

Nemastoma bimaculatum:
More: same animal.


Phalangiidae
Lacinius ephippiatus: No images yet?
Lophopilio palpinalis: No images yet?
Megabunus diadema: No images yet?
Oligolophus hanseni: No images yet?
Oligolophus tridens: No images yet?
Opilio parietinus: No images yet?
Opilio saxatilis: No images yet?
Paroligolophus agrestis: No images yet?
Paroligolophus meadii: No images yet?

Mitopus morio / Mitopus morio var. ericaeus:
I'm really not sure ... these two are currently IDed as "Mitopus morio" but I tend to doubt that???:
????

Odiellus spinosus:
IDs by Arp VERY uncertain! (just guessing really!). More: Maybe
this one too????

Opilio canestrinii (female & male):
IDs by Arp, so quite uncertain!. More: watw

Phalangium opilio:
(3rd on WATW showing a male) More: watw. But these??: Izzit??, Izzit??.

Rilaena triangularis:
ID by Arp, so quite uncertain!.


Sabaconidae
Sabacon viscayanum ramblaianum: No images yet?


Sclerosomatidae
Homalenotus quadridentatus:
(images on WATW)


Trogulidae

Anelasmocephalus cambridgei: No images yet?

Trogulus tricarinatus: No images yet?

Trogulus nepaeformis:
(image on WATW) NOT IN LIST - probably not in Britain!! (Listed here merely as a look-alike for T. tricarinatus)


Well, that's also the max no. of images for one post ;o) There are other Opiliones in the Archive/Gallery I'm sure, so please do go ahead and add some more ...
Cheers! Arp

[Action_Man]

I have a few that may not be included, in the link below i have tried to ID some of them, so if anyone can give positive ID`s, i will add them to the WAB database ...

• View topic - Awaiting ID

[Paul mabbott]

Thanks, Arp.
Yes, it's a good idea to look at these en masse from time to time (could be applied to some other orders/families). I've often thought that some of the identifications were a bit iffy but it's not my best area and time is seldom available!

I'll try to go through these some time and hope that others will do the same - in a sense of constructive criticism.

Originally Posted by Pudding4brains

So, this is just a start and all I have time for tonight ... many images/species are probably not listed here as I have not spend a lot of time searching, and very probably a fair amount of wrong IDs ... but hey, gotta start somewhere

PLEASE DO ADD OTHERS/CORRECTIONS!!
...........
Leiobunidae
Dicranopalpus ramosus (female & male)
More: here, here, here, here, here.


Leiobunum rotundum (female & male):
More: here, here, here, here, here, here; But these??: Izzit??, Izzit??.

Unsure:
Current ID is "Phalangium opilio" which it's not. I'm guessing maybe Leiobunum blackwalli, but I have no idea what Nelima gothica looks like or what other British species (not in the list?) might fit the bill???

Leiobunum blackwalli: No images yet or see above?? Or what about this: blackwalli fem.??

Nelima gothica: No images yet, or see above??


Nemastomatidae
Centetostoma bacilliferum: No images yet??

Mitostoma chrysomelas:
(image on WATW)

Nemastoma bimaculatum:
More: same animal.


Phalangiidae
Lacinius ephippiatus: No images yet?
Lophopilio palpinalis: No images yet?
Megabunus diadema: No images yet?
Oligolophus hanseni: No images yet?
Oligolophus tridens: No images yet?
Opilio parietinus: No images yet?
Opilio saxatilis: No images yet?
Paroligolophus agrestis: No images yet?
Paroligolophus meadii: No images yet?

Mitopus morio / Mitopus morio var. ericaeus:
I'm really not sure ... these two are currently IDed as "Mitopus morio" but I tend to doubt that???:
????

Odiellus spinosus:
IDs by Arp VERY uncertain! (just guessing really!). More: Maybe
this one too????

Opilio canestrinii (female & male):
IDs by Arp, so quite uncertain!. More: watw

Phalangium opilio:
(3rd on WATW showing a male) More: watw. But these??: Izzit??, Izzit??.

Rilaena triangularis:
ID by Arp, so quite uncertain!.


Sabaconidae
Sabacon viscayanum ramblaianum: No images yet?


Sclerosomatidae
Homalenotus quadridentatus:
(images on WATW)


Trogulidae

Anelasmocephalus cambridgei: No images yet?

Trogulus tricarinatus: No images yet?

Trogulus nepaeformis:
(image on WATW) NOT IN LIST - probably not in Britain!! (Listed here merely as a look-alike for T. tricarinatus)


Well, that's also the max no. of images for one post ;o) There are other Opiliones in the Archive/Gallery I'm sure, so please do go ahead and add some more ...
Cheers! Arp

[Bruce Williams]

Good idea - and you've made a great start Arp.

I don't have the experience or the expertise to add info to this thread (I might have a couple more pics though) but a link to this thread is going into my "Favourites" as a useful reference for the future.

Thanks.

Bruce

[Paul mabbott]

Yes, and when we're done it will be useful to put a document (with unlimited picture links) into the reference section or some such ....

Then we can start on something else .....

[nutmeg]

I have a few unidentified opiliones in my files -- here's one of them. I have dorsal and rear views, but not a head on shot.

[Bruce Williams]

Here's a particularly long-legged species that I photographed back in September.

Any idea what that white mass is around the base of the legs?



Bruce

[Pudding4brains]

Hi All,

My reactions may be a bit erratic - having trouble with one of my PCs constantly freezing the browser on the WAB-site

Once more: I KNOW NOTHING (I'm from ... ohw well ...) - anyway your guess is probably as good (or better) as mine, but anyway ...

Originally Posted by nutmeg

I have a few unidentified opiliones in my files -- here's one of them. I have dorsal and rear views, but not a head on shot.

On a quick glance I would have those down for Rilaena triangularis??

Originally Posted by Bruce Williams

Here's a particularly long-legged species that I photographed back in September.

I find these hard to tell still, swaying back and forth between Mitopus morio or maybe some Leiobunum ... will try to compare with others later.

Found some more WAB-harvesters too ... later ... food's calling
Arp

[Bruce Williams]

Another Opiliones pic fron Salcey Forest (June 07).



Bruce

[Pudding4brains]

Didn't get around to much yesterday and today won't be any better ...

Originally Posted by Action_Man

I have a few that may not be included,
• View topic - Awaiting ID

Hi Action_Man, having troubles with your set - really need to spend more time keying/comparing on those. How did you arrive at the "possible" names you stuck on them? Would be interesting to know - did you use your key/book? What characters did you go by?

Just from comparing images on the net (I know - it's not a good method ) I would have doubts on the "possible Lacinius ephippiatus". All the ones I find on "serious" sites seem to heave quite a different colourpattern, or it would have to be that I only find females and yours is a male???

I'm slowly beginning to get more and more confident that your "Possibly Leiobonum limbatum" is a couple (female/male) Leiobonum blackwalli - they both have the typical ocularium with white rings over the eyes and a black "wall" between those. This sets them from other Leiobunum. I have never found adult ones of these, but looking at pictures also the "tarpezoid" backmarking on the female is slowly beginning to "grow on me" as a L. blackwalli character. That also goes for the other ones in this thread - the original "unsure" Leiobunidae in my first posting and for the one by Bruce.

Is the L. limbatum you suggested in some book or checklist that can be trusted to be acurate for Britain? It's not in the list I found on the net and copied above??

The other ones I'll need more time for to even hazard an *cough*'educated'*cough* guess ... sorry.

Originally Posted by Bruce Williams

Another Opiliones pic fron Salcey Forest (June 07).

As stated above I'm strongly beginning to suspect (from looking at images) that these are typical Leiobunum blackwalli females.

P.S. In this thread I found another image that Dogghound suggested Odiellus spinosus for - which would also be my idea for the big one. Would be interestes to know if anyone can confirm the little one as the corresponding male:


That's all for now
Cheers! Arp

[nutmeg]

Thanks for taking the time to have a look at my opiliones -- and suggesting an ID

[Pudding4brains]

Originally Posted by nutmeg

Thanks for ... -- and suggesting an ID

As long as it's clear how serious my IDs are to be taken ...

If, by the time we get WAB's opiliones sorted out to best of our abilities no British/WAB expert has corrected us, I'll see if I can invite/interest a dutch or german expert

[bugbotherer]

I was quite happy with my id of Mitopus morio based on not just this pic (which I chose for its more aesthetic qualities). Any suggestions why you have doubts

[Action_Man]

Arp i havent treated those descriptions with any amount of seriousness as yet, but i am going to very soon, i hope. I have a cunning plan, as they say ...

[Action_Man]

Originally Posted by bugbotherer

I was quite happy with my id of Mitopus morio based on not just this pic (which I chose for its more aesthetic qualities). Any suggestions why you have doubts

The description i have for Mitopus morio does in fact suit your image quite well, do you have any more images ? ...

[bugbotherer]

Originally Posted by Action_Man

The description i have for Mitopus morio does in fact suit your image quite well, do you have any more images ? ...

Indeed I do, but not on WAB;

[Action_Man]

Can you give me a clue as to where they are then ? ...

[Pudding4brains]

Originally Posted by Pudding4brains

Mitopus morio / Mitopus morio var. ericaeus:
I'm really not sure ... these two are currently IDed as "Mitopus morio" but I tend to doubt that???:
????

Originally Posted by bugbotherer

I was quite happy with my id of Mitopus morio based on not just this pic (which I chose for its more aesthetic qualities). Any suggestions why you have doubts

Well, sorry about that - I should have probably phrased that more elaborately. The real "doubt" is mostly with the right hand side one - for your animal I'm just "not altogether sure", which is mostly due to me simply not knowing enough (as mentioned several times).

I understand that Mitopus morio is quite variable and this one might well be one, but as far as I can tell it might also not be one. To me, the archetype M. morio is darker (more contrasting saddle) and might even have dark palps etc. As it is (was?) the only image of the species available and the list more or less presents an overview of all available species I feel that putting them up for discussion/confirmation is maybe understandable from my point of view, as there also was no real discussion on your animal on WAB when you first placed it.

So what I'm basically saying is: I don't know how reliable your harvestman IDs are and I myself still have real trouble distinguishing rather "light" coloured Mitopus morio from say Phalangium opilio (and maybe others) from an image like that.

Also, I (we at WAB) only have this one "aesthetic" image to go by, maybe if I could have looked at your other images we could also get a better idea, but I didn't/couldn't, hence my reluctance to present the animal as a (almost) certain ID. To me, good shots would probably include some where the palps/chelicerae, ocularium, cephalothorax etc are clearly visible and/or maybe a bottom view?

Of course, a somewhat savvier person might not need all that, so if you are really certain I would be more than happy to concede (as stated: I know nothing), but naturally would also be very interested to learn how you can tell the beast apart from other similar species ... after all, that's what the whole thread is intended to be about - eventually

Please consider that I'm just a opiliones-nincompoop and probably more so than most of you, I just started this thread to combine two things:
- Me (and others?) learning a bit more by discussing IDs
- Collecting a nice overview of Harvestman images available, preferably all with correct IDs eventually.

Even in the initial list and my other previous posts in this thread I'm already having "second thoughts" about some (like the short legged "Odiellus spinosus") but I'll get back to that after reading up a bit more...

[Action_Man]

What is the correct term for this - i`m thinking it might be gnathobase ? . Any idea`s anyone ? ...