Visit by an #invasive #species on my windowsill in #Berlin: harvestman #Opilio #canestrinii (#Phalangiidae, #Opiliones). Although #globalwarming has recently made numerous invasive species native to #CentralEurope, some species were able to establish themselves already several decades ago, such as the opilionid presented here.

Some :OpenAccess: #arachnews from the Google Scholar alert…

We know very little about spider chromosomes; only a fraction of species (~900/50,000) have been studied. This study of 12 tiny spiders across 8 families found in leaf litter in Brazil helps fill in the gap. https://zoolstud.sinica.edu.tw/Journals/62/62-42.html

The clade shade is real in this paper sorting out the taxonomy of the opilionid family Cosmetidae in the US (and dunking on previous scientists' classifications). Just a reminder that most _Vonones_ species are now under _Libitioides_. https://europeanjournaloftaxonomy.eu/index.php/ejt/article/view/2143

#arachnids #spiders #cytology #Opiliones #taxonomy #SciComm #OpenAccess

Bishopella sp. (Harvestman)
There are Bishopella lacinosa here so maybe that freshly moulted?

#cave #caves #caving #bishopella #harvestmen #opiliones #harvestman #entomology #cavescience #karstentomology

A Harvestmen (order Opiliones) spotted at Upper Seletar Reservoir Park, resting on a leaf, on 26 March 2023. The close-up shots show the body, including a challenging frontal shot, while the wide view shows how long its legs are.

Harvestmen are invertebrates, but they are not insects nor spiders.

On iNaturalist [ https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/152349443 ].

#iNaturalist #Nature #Singapore #Photography #Harvestment #Opiliones

A fastidious harvestman (daddy longlegs, opiliones,....) taking a bath. I often see red mites on their bodies in places they can't reach.

#harvestman #opiliones #arachnids #arthropods #nature #photography #macrophotography

I'm deviating from my brief a little here as harvestmen (Opiliones) aren’t technically soil-based creatures, but they do predate on soil fauna, and they’re photogenic - so that’s good enough for me!

[CW - photos of Arachnids]
#Arachnid #Opiliones #Harvestmen #MacroPhotography #Arthropod

A happy harvestman (daddy longlegs, granddaddy, opiliones, ...) strides through some asters and pauses to look at us.

#arachnid #arachnids #opiliones #nature #photography

Some #OpenAccess arachnid research from ye olde Google Scholar alert:

- Long-jawed orbweavers (_Tetragnatha_) are well-known for building webs near water, but these Australian _Tetragnatha_ webs were actually attached *to* the water! They were catching water striders (Gerridae), too. https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/eth.13355 :oa:

- Male _Myrmarachne gisti_, like many ant-mimic jumping spiders, sport elongated jaws they use to fight and intimidate each other. Surprisingly, it doesn't make these East Asian spiders any worse at hunting. https://academic.oup.com/cz/advance-article/doi/10.1093/cz/zoac101/6964639 :oa:

- Over the past 15 years, what we know about the reproductive biology of harvesters (Opiliones) has advanced incredibly. This review by Glauco Machado and Mercedes Burns covers asexuality, mating rituals, sex positions, sperm competition, egg-laying, parental care, and more. This is well worth putting aside for a proper read. :oa: https://academic.oup.com/cz/advance-article/doi/10.1093/cz/zoac102/6960847

#arachnews #spiders #opiliones #SciComm #biology

(Old comic)

It's winter and, once again, this picture is relevant.

#ecology #comics #artistsonmastodon #cartoon #Opiliones

Just as I was thinking how sad I was that the cold snap probably killed all the harvestmen, suddenly I saw two of them!! #arachnid #harvestman #daddylonglegs #opiliones

This #harvestman, the Fork-palped Harvestman Dicranopalpus ramosus agg., was the species to get me interested in this #Arachnid order.

I kept seeing one sprawled out in characteristic parallel leg posture on walk home from uni back in 2015. When I tried ID, I was then made aware of non-native harvestmen being under the radar and undetected. This peaked my interest in both #Opiliones and #invasionecology. Though didn't get a chance to delve deeper in research until 2019.

#macrophoto

Hello, I'm Josh - how are you?

In a past life I was conducting research for a #phd in #invasionecology but now a #conservation officer protecting our most threatened #invertebrates in the 12th worst place for biodiversity decline, #northernireland.

Some #entomology and associated focus for me has included #solitarybees , #wasps and #opiliones. Big fan of plants, especially #Lamiaceae and #Orobanchaceae.

Also do a bit of #macrophotography & encourage biological recording.

Heute Morgen in der Küche. #Weberknecht #Opiliones

A harvestmen (aka Daddy long legs, Opiliones) in the North Woods of Central Park. These aren't actually spiders, but are arachnids.

#harvestmen #daddylonglegs #opiliones #critters #macro #ultramacro #wildlife #nature #venusoptics #canonphotography #luminarneo #centralpark #nycparks #northwoods

(CW: pictures of a Harvestmen, which resemble spiders)

An observation from October 2021. A Harvestmen (Order Opiliones) spotted at Upper Seletar Reservoir Park, Singapore. It was resting, allowing me to get close to take these shots.

On iNaturalist [ https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/96988762 ]

#iNaturalist #Nature #Singapore #Photography #Harvestmen #Opiliones #Arthropods

(Images behind a CW as Harvestmen are in the same class, Arachnids, as spiders.)

A Harvestmen (order Opiliones), spotted sitting on a leaf at Upper Seletar Reservoir Park, Singapore, on 3 Oct 2021. Since it was keeping still, I took the chance to get close-up shots of it.

Harvestmen are not directly related to spiders. I seldom see Harvestmen locally.

On iNaturalist [ https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/96988762 ]

#iNaturalist #Nature #Singapore #Photography #Arachnids #Arachnida #Opiliones