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61-461: (Redirected from Daddy Long Legs ) [REDACTED] Look up daddy longlegs in Wiktionary, the free dictionary. Daddy longlegs or daddy long legs may refer to: Life forms [ edit ] Animals [ edit ] Opiliones or harvestmen, an order of arachnids Pholcidae or cellar spiders, a family of spiders Crane fly ,

122-461: A cohors (plural cohortes ). Some of the plant families still retain the names of Linnaean "natural orders" or even the names of pre-Linnaean natural groups recognized by Linnaeus as orders in his natural classification (e.g. Palmae or Labiatae ). Such names are known as descriptive family names. In the field of zoology , the Linnaean orders were used more consistently. That is,

183-456: A pre-Linnaean work). In England, the Opiliones are called harvestmen, not because they appear at that season, but from a superstitious belief that if one is killed there will be a bad harvest that year. The interfamilial relationships within Opiliones are not yet fully resolved, although significant strides have been made in recent years to determine these relationships. The following list

244-463: A 2009 musical play by John Caird and Paul Gordon Daddy Longlegs (2009 film) , an American comedy-drama by Ben and Joshua Safdie "Old Father Longlegs", a nursery rhyme by Mother Goose Music [ edit ] Daddy Long Legs (musician) , in Wolfpac and Bloodhound Gang Daddy Longlegs (album) , by John Craigie "Daddy Longlegs", a 1993 song by Tumbleweed "Daddy Longlegs",

305-457: A 2017 song by McCafferty Other uses [ edit ] Daddy Long Legs (horse) (born 2009), a Thoroughbred racehorse Daddy Long Legs (sculpture) , a 2006 sculpture in Portland, Oregon Pioneer, a car on the former Brighton and Rottingdean Seashore Electric Railway Topics referred to by the same term [REDACTED] This disambiguation page lists articles associated with

366-618: A broad range is unusual in arachnids, which are typically pure predators. Most hunting harvestmen ambush their prey, although active hunting is also found. Because their eyes cannot form images, they use their second pair of legs as antennae to explore their environment. Unlike most other arachnids, harvestmen do not have a sucking stomach or a filtering mechanism. Rather, they ingest small particles of their food, thus making them vulnerable to internal parasites such as gregarines . Although parthenogenetic species do occur, most harvestmen reproduce sexually . Except from small fossorial species in

427-407: A distance. The Opiliones are known for having exceptionally long legs relative to their body size; however, some species are short-legged. As in all Arachnida, the body in the Opiliones has two tagmata , the anterior cephalothorax or prosoma , and the posterior 10-segmented abdomen or opisthosoma . The most easily discernible difference between harvestmen and spiders is that in harvestmen,

488-570: A distinct rank of biological classification having its own distinctive name (and not just called a higher genus ( genus summum )) was first introduced by the German botanist Augustus Quirinus Rivinus in his classification of plants that appeared in a series of treatises in the 1690s. Carl Linnaeus was the first to apply it consistently to the division of all three kingdoms of nature (then minerals , plants , and animals ) in his Systema Naturae (1735, 1st. Ed.). For plants, Linnaeus' orders in

549-430: A family of insects in the order Diptera Plants [ edit ] Stylidium divaricatum , a species of triggerplant native to Western Australia Caladenia filamentosa , a species of orchid native to Eastern Australia Brassavola cucullata , a species of orchid native to Mexico Literature and film [ edit ] Daddy-Long-Legs (novel) , a novel by Jean Webster Daddy-Long-Legs (play) ,

610-456: A further defence from predators because they can twitch for 60 seconds to an hour after detachment. This can also potentially serve as deflection from an attack and deceive a predator from attacking the animal. It has been shown to be successful against ants and spiders. The legs continue to twitch after they are detached because 'pacemakers' are located in the ends of the first long segment (femur) of their legs. These pacemakers send signals via

671-740: A long period. Indeed, one species discovered in China, Mesobunus martensi , fossilized by fine-grained volcanic ash around 165 million years ago, is hardly discernible from modern-day harvestmen and has been placed in the extant family Sclerosomatidae . The Swedish naturalist and arachnologist Carl Jakob Sundevall (1801–1875) honored the naturalist Martin Lister (1638–1712) by adopting Lister's term Opiliones for this order, known in Lister's days as "harvest spiders" or "shepherd spiders", from Latin opilio , "shepherd"; Lister characterized three species from England (although not formally describing them, being

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732-428: A pair median eyes also have two sets of vestigial eyes: one median pair (homologous to those of horseshoe crabs and sea spiders ), and one lateral pair (homologous to facetted eyes of horseshoe crabs and insects). This discovery suggests that the neuroanatomy of harvestmen is more primitive than derived arachnid groups, like spiders and scorpions. It also showed that the four-eyed fossil harvestman previously discovered

793-429: A play by Jean Webster, adapted from her novel Daddy-Long-Legs (1919 film) , a silent comedy-drama starring Mary Pickford Daddy Long Legs (1931 film) , a musical starring Janet Gaynor and Warner Baxter Daddy Long Legs (1938 film) , a Dutch romantic comedy Daddy Long Legs (1955 film) , a musical starring Fred Astaire Daddy-Long-Legs (2005 film) , a Korean romance Daddy Long Legs (musical) ,

854-418: A predator after direct or indirect contact, including thanatosis , freezing , bobbing, autotomy , fleeing, stridulation , retaliation and chemical secretions. Some animals respond to attacks by simulating an apparent death to avoid either detection or further attacks. Arachnids such as spiders practise this mechanism when threatened or even to avoid being eaten by female spiders after mating. Thanatosis

915-617: A predator. Armored harvestmen in Laniatores can often use their modified morphology as weapons. Many have spines on their pedipalps, back legs, or bodies. By pinching with their chelicerae and pedipalps, they can cause harm to a potential predator. Also this has been proven to increase survival against recluse spiders by causing injury, allowing the harvestman to escape from predation. Harvestmen are well known for being chemically protected. They exude strongly odored secretions from their scent glands, called ozopores , that act as

976-514: A scientifically neglected group. Description of new taxa has always been dependent on the activity of a few dedicated taxonomists. Carl Friedrich Roewer described about a third (2,260) of today's known species from the 1910s to the 1950s, and published the landmark systematic work Die Weberknechte der Erde (Harvestmen of the World) in 1923, with descriptions of all species known to that time. Other important taxonomists in this field include: Since

1037-516: A shield against predators; this is the most effective defense they use which creates a strong and unpleasant taste. In Cyphophthalmi the scent glands release naphthoquinones, chloro-naphthoquinones and aliphatic methyl ketones, Insidiatores use nitrogen-containing substances, terpenes, aliphatic ketones, and phenolics, while Grassatores use alkylated phenolics and benzoquinones, and Palpatores use substances like naphthoquinones, methyl- and ethyl-ketones. These secretions have successfully protected

1098-492: A variety of primary and secondary defences against predation, ranging from morphological traits such as body armour to behavioral responses to chemical secretions. Some of these defences have been attributed and restricted to specific groups of harvestmen. Primary defences help the harvestmen avoid encountering a potential predator and include crypsis , aposematism , and mimicry . Particular patterns or colour markings on harvestmen's bodies can reduce detection by disrupting

1159-572: Is a compilation of interfamilial relationships recovered from several recent phylogenetic studies, although the placement and even monophyly of several taxa are still in question. The family Stygophalangiidae (one species, Stygophalangium karamani ) from underground waters in North Macedonia is sometimes misplaced in the Phalangioidea. It is not a harvestman. Despite their long history, few harvestman fossils are known. This

1220-495: Is formed by extensions of the coxae of the pedipalps and the first pair of legs. Most Opiliones, except for Cyphophthalmi, have long been thought to have a single pair of camera-type eyes in the middle of the head, oriented sideways. Eyes in Cyphophthalmi, when present, are located laterally, near the ozopores. A 305-million-year-old fossilized harvestman with two pairs of eyes was reported in 2014. This find suggested that

1281-522: Is in rainforest patches in northwest Argentina which are in an area being dramatically destroyed by humans. The cave-living Picunchenops spelaeus is apparently endangered through human action. So far, no harvestman has been included in any kind of a Red List in Argentina, so they receive no protection. Maiorerus randoi has only been found in one cave in the Canary Islands . It is included in

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1342-513: Is mainly due to their delicate body structure and terrestrial habitat, making them unlikely to be found in sediments. As a consequence, most known fossils have been preserved within amber . The oldest known harvestman, from the 410-million-year-old Devonian Rhynie chert, displayed almost all the characteristics of modern species, placing the origin of harvestmen in the Silurian , or even earlier. A recent molecular study of Opiliones, however, dated

1403-404: Is most likely a member of the suborder Eupnoi (true daddy-longlegs). Harvestmen have a pair of prosomatic defensive scent glands ( ozopores ) that secrete a peculiar-smelling fluid when disturbed. In some species, the fluid contains noxious quinones . They do not have book lungs , and breathe through tracheae . A pair of spiracles is located between the base of the fourth pair of legs and

1464-495: Is seen with multiple long-legged species in the Leiobunum clade that either drop and run, or drop and remain motionless. This is also seen when disturbing an aggregation of multiple individuals, where they all scatter. Multiple species within the Laniatores and Dyspnoi possess stridulating organs, which are used as intraspecific communication and have also been shown to be used as a second line of defense when restrained by

1525-452: Is the voluntary amputation of an appendage and is employed to escape when restrained by a predator. Eupnoi individuals, more specifically sclerosomatid harvestmen, commonly use this strategy in response to being captured. This strategy can be costly because harvestmen do not regenerate their legs, and leg loss reduces locomotion, speed, climbing ability, sensory perception, food detection, and territoriality. Autotomised legs provide

1586-617: Is thought to be commonly used during daylight, when they could be easily seen by any predators. Other harvestmen may exhibit mimicry to resemble other species' appearances. Some Gonyleptidae individuals that produce translucid secretions have orange markings on their carapaces . This may have an aposematic role by mimicking the colouration of glandular emissions of two other quinone-producing species. Mimicry ( Müllerian mimicry ) occurring between Brazilian harvestmen that resemble others could be explained by convergent evolution . Secondary defences allow for harvestmen to escape and survive from

1647-599: Is used as a second line of defence when detected by a potential predator and is commonly observed within the Dyspnoi and Laniatores suborders, with individuals becoming rigid with legs either retracted or stretched. Freezing – or the complete halt of movement – has been documented in the family Sclerosomatidae. While this can mean an increased likelihood of immediate survival, it also leads to reduced food and water intake. To deflect attacks and enhance escape, long-legged species – commonly known as daddy long-legs – from

1708-533: Is usually written with a capital letter. For some groups of organisms, their orders may follow consistent naming schemes . Orders of plants , fungi , and algae use the suffix -ales (e.g. Dictyotales ). Orders of birds and fishes use the Latin suffix -iformes meaning 'having the form of' (e.g. Passeriformes ), but orders of mammals and invertebrates are not so consistent (e.g. Artiodactyla , Actiniaria , Primates ). For some clades covered by

1769-718: The Cenozoic , three from the Mesozoic , and at least seven from the Paleozoic . Order (biology) What does and does not belong to each order is determined by a taxonomist , as is whether a particular order should be recognized at all. Often there is no exact agreement, with different taxonomists each taking a different position. There are no hard rules that a taxonomist needs to follow in describing or recognizing an order. Some taxa are accepted almost universally, while others are recognized only rarely. The name of an order

1830-516: The Devonian Rhynie chert , 410 million years ago, already show characteristics like tracheae and sexual organs, indicating that the group has lived on land since that time. Despite being similar in appearance to, and often confused with, spiders, they are probably closely related to the scorpions , pseudoscorpions , and solifuges ; these four orders form the clade Dromopoda . The Opiliones have remained almost unchanged morphologically over

1891-610: The Eupnoi suborder, use two mechanisms. One is bobbing, for which these particular individuals bounce their bodies. It potentially serves to confuse and deflect any identification of the exact location of their bodies. This can be a deceiving mechanism to avoid predation when they are in a large aggregation of individuals, which are all trembling at the same time. Cellar spiders ( Pholcidae ) that are commonly mistaken for daddy long-legs (Opiliones) also exhibit this behavior when their webs are disturbed or even during courtship. Autotomy

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1952-528: The International Code of Zoological Nomenclature , several additional classifications are sometimes used, although not all of these are officially recognized. In their 1997 classification of mammals , McKenna and Bell used two extra levels between superorder and order: grandorder and mirorder . Michael Novacek (1986) inserted them at the same position. Michael Benton (2005) inserted them between superorder and magnorder instead. This position

2013-579: The Laniatores , and more than 70,000 in certain Eupnoi . Gregarious behavior is likely a strategy against climatic odds, but also against predators, combining the effect of scent secretions, and reducing the probability of any particular individual being eaten. Harvestmen clean their legs after eating by drawing each leg in turn through their jaws. Predators of harvestmen include a variety of animals, including some mammals, amphibians, and other arachnids like spiders and scorpions. Opiliones display

2074-815: The Systema Naturae and the Species Plantarum were strictly artificial, introduced to subdivide the artificial classes into more comprehensible smaller groups. When the word ordo was first consistently used for natural units of plants, in 19th-century works such as the Prodromus Systematis Naturalis Regni Vegetabilis of Augustin Pyramus de Candolle and the Genera Plantarum of Bentham & Hooker, it indicated taxa that are now given

2135-473: The leaf litter found in their environments. Some hard-bodied harvestmen have epizoic cyanobacteria and liverworts growing on their bodies that suggest potential benefits for camouflage against large backgrounds to avoid detection by diurnal predators. Some harvestmen have elaborate and brightly coloured patterns or appendages which contrast with the body colouration, potentially serving as an aposematic warning to potential predators. This mechanism

2196-573: The scutum , which in most such species is fused with the carapace . Some such Opiliones only have this shield in the males. In some species, the two posterior abdominal segments are reduced. Some of them are divided medially on the surface to form two plates beside each other. The second pair of legs is longer than the others and function as antennae or feelers. In short-legged species, this may not be obvious. The feeding apparatus ( stomotheca ) differs from most arachnids in that Opiliones can swallow chunks of solid food, not only liquids. The stomotheca

2257-486: The 1990s, study of the biology and ecology of harvestmen has intensified, especially in South America . Early work on the developmental biology of Opiliones from the mid-20th century was resurrected by Prashant P. Sharma , who established Phalangium opilio as a model system for the study of arachnid comparative genomics and evolutionary-developmental biology . Harvestmen are ancient arachnids . Fossils from

2318-548: The Arachnida is disputed; their closest relatives may be camel spiders (Solifugae) or a larger clade comprising horseshoe crabs, Ricinulei, and Arachnopulmonata (scorpions, pseudoscorpions, and Tetrapulmonata). Although superficially similar to and often misidentified as spiders (order Araneae ), the Opiliones are a distinct order that is not closely related to spiders. They can be easily distinguished from long-legged spiders by their fused body regions and single pair of eyes in

2379-563: The Brazilian national list of endangered species, all of them cave-dwelling: Giupponia chagasi , Iandumoema uai , Pachylospeleus strinatii and Spaeleoleptes spaeleus . Several Opiliones in Argentina appear to be vulnerable, if not endangered. These include Pachyloidellus fulvigranulatus , which is found only on top of Cerro Uritorco , the highest peak in the Sierras Chicas chain (provincia de Cordoba) and Pachyloides borellii

2440-840: The Catálogo Nacional de especies amenazadas (National catalog of threatened species) from the Spanish government. Texella reddelli and Texella reyesi are listed as endangered species in the United States. Both are from caves in central Texas . Texella cokendolpheri from a cave in central Texas and Calicina minor , Microcina edgewoodensis , Microcina homi , Microcina jungi , Microcina leei , Microcina lumi , and Microcina tiburona from around springs and other restricted habitats of central California are being considered for listing as endangered species, but as yet receive no protection. An urban legend claims that

2501-406: The abdomen, with one opening on each side. In more active species, spiracles are also found upon the tibia of the legs. They have a gonopore on the ventral cephalothorax, and the copulation is direct as male Opiliones have a penis , unlike other arachnids. All species lay eggs . Typical body length does not exceed 7 mm (0.28 in), and some species are smaller than 1 mm, although

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2562-500: The animals' outlines or providing camouflage. Markings on legs can cause an interruption of the leg outline and loss of leg proportion recognition. Darker colourations and patterns function as camouflage when they remain motionless. Within the genus Leiobunum are multiple species with cryptic colouration that changes over ontogeny to match the microhabitat used at each life stage. Many species have also been able to camouflage their bodies by covering with secretions and debris from

2623-421: The connection between the cephalothorax and abdomen is broad, so that the body appears to be a single oval structure. Other differences include the fact that Opiliones have no venom glands in their chelicerae and thus pose no danger to humans. They also have no silk glands and therefore do not build webs. In some highly derived species, the first five abdominal segments are fused into a dorsal shield called

2684-416: The crane flies of the superfamily Tipuloidea , and the cellar spiders of the family Pholcidae, (commonly referred to as "daddy long-leg spiders") most likely because of their similar appearance. Harvestmen are also referred to as "shepherd spiders" in reference to how their unusually long legs reminded observers of the ways that some European shepherds used stilts to better observe their wandering flocks from

2745-609: The eyes in Cyphophthalmi are not homologous to the eyes of other harvestmen. Many cave-adapted species are eyeless, such as the Brazilian Caecobunus termitarum ( Grassatores ) from termite nests, Giupponia chagasi ( Gonyleptidae ) from caves, most species of Cyphophthalmi, and all species of the Guasiniidae . However, recent work studying the embryonic development of the species Phalangium opilio and some Laniatores revealed that harvestman in addition to

2806-490: The harvestman is the most venomous animal in the world but possesses fangs too short or a mouth too round and small to bite a human, rendering it harmless (the same myth applies to Pholcus phalangioides and the crane fly , which are both also called a "daddy longlegs"). None of the known species of harvestmen have venom glands; their chelicerae are not hollowed fangs but grasping claws that are typically very small and not strong enough to break human skin. Harvestmen are

2867-569: The harvestmen against wandering spiders ( Ctenidae ), wolf spiders (Lycosidae) and Formica exsectoides ants. However, these chemical irritants are not able to prevent four species of harvestmen being preyed upon by the black scorpion Bothriurus bonariensis ( Bothriuridae ). These secretions contain multiple volatile compounds that vary among individuals and clades. All troglobitic species (of all animal taxa) are considered to be at least threatened in Brazil . Four species of Opiliones are on

2928-575: The largest known species, Trogulus torosus ( Trogulidae ), grows as long as 22 mm (0.87 in). The leg span of many species is much greater than the body length and sometimes exceeds 160 mm (6.3 in) and to 340 mm (13 in) in Southeast Asia. Most species live for a year. Many species are omnivorous , eating primarily small insects and all kinds of plant material and fungi . Some are scavengers , feeding upon dead organisms, bird dung, and other fecal material. Such

2989-571: The male is solely responsible for guarding the eggs resulting from multiple partners, often against egg-eating females , and cleaning the eggs regularly. Paternal care has evolved at least three times independently: once in the clade Progonyleptoidellinae + Caelopyginae, once in the Gonyleptinae, and once in the Heteropachylinae. Maternal care in opiliones probably evolved due to natural selection, while paternal care appears to be

3050-435: The males defend territories. In some species, males also exhibit post-copulatory behavior in which the male specifically seeks out and shakes the female's sensory leg. This is believed to entice the female into mating a second time. The female lays her eggs shortly after mating to several months later. Some species build nests for this purpose. A unique feature of harvestmen is that some species practice parental care, in which

3111-413: The middle of the cephalothorax . Spiders have a distinct abdomen that is separated from the cephalothorax by a constriction, and they have three to four pairs of eyes, usually around the margins of the cephalothorax. English speakers may colloquially refer to species of Opiliones as "daddy longlegs" or "granddaddy longlegs", but this name is also used for two other distantly related groups of arthropods ,

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3172-424: The nerves to the muscles to extend the leg and then the leg relaxes between signals. While some harvestman's legs twitch for a minute, others have been recorded to twitch up to an hour. The twitching has been hypothesised to function as an evolutionary advantage by keeping the attention of a predator while the harvestman escapes. Individuals that are able to detect potential threats can flee rapidly from attack. This

3233-708: The orders in the zoology part of the Systema Naturae refer to natural groups. Some of his ordinal names are still in use, e.g. Lepidoptera (moths and butterflies) and Diptera (flies, mosquitoes, midges, and gnats). In virology , the International Committee on Taxonomy of Viruses 's virus classification includes fifteen taxomomic ranks to be applied for viruses , viroids and satellite nucleic acids : realm , subrealm , kingdom , subkingdom, phylum , subphylum , class, subclass, order, suborder, family, subfamily , genus, subgenus , and species. There are currently fourteen viral orders, each ending in

3294-584: The origin of the order at about 473 million years ago (Mya), during the Ordovician. No fossils of the Cyphophthalmi or Laniatores much older than 50 million years are known, despite the former presenting a basal clade , and the latter having probably diverged from the Dyspnoi more than 300 Mya. Naturally, most finds are from comparatively recent times. More than 20 fossil species are known from

3355-564: The precursor of the currently used International Code of Nomenclature for algae, fungi, and plants . In the first international Rules of botanical nomenclature from the International Botanical Congress of 1905, the word family ( familia ) was assigned to the rank indicated by the French famille , while order ( ordo ) was reserved for a higher rank, for what in the 19th century had often been named

3416-502: The rank of family (see ordo naturalis , ' natural order '). In French botanical publications, from Michel Adanson 's Familles naturelles des plantes (1763) and until the end of the 19th century, the word famille (plural: familles ) was used as a French equivalent for this Latin ordo . This equivalence was explicitly stated in the Alphonse Pyramus de Candolle 's Lois de la nomenclature botanique (1868),

3477-746: The result of sexual selection. Depending on circumstances such as temperature, the eggs may hatch at any time after the first 20 days, up to about half a year after being laid. Harvestmen variously pass through four to eight nymphal instars to reach maturity, with most known species having six instars. Most species are nocturnal and colored in hues of brown, although a number of diurnal species are known, some of which have vivid patterns in yellow, green, and black with varied reddish and blackish mottling and reticulation. Many species of harvestmen easily tolerate members of their own species, with aggregations of many individuals often found at protected sites near water. These aggregations may number 200 individuals in

3538-437: The suborder Cyphophthalmi, where the males deposit a spermatophore , mating involves direct copulation. The females store the sperm, which is aflagellate and immobile, at the tip of her ovipositor. The eggs are fertilized during oviposition. The males of some species offer a secretion (nuptial gift) from their chelicerae to the female before copulation. Sometimes, the male guards the female after copulation, and in many species,

3599-806: The title Daddy longlegs . If an internal link led you here, you may wish to change the link to point directly to the intended article. Retrieved from " https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Daddy_longlegs&oldid=1254364629 " Category : Disambiguation pages Hidden categories: Misplaced Pages indefinitely move-protected pages Short description is different from Wikidata All article disambiguation pages All disambiguation pages Animal common name disambiguation pages Opiliones The Opiliones (formerly Phalangida) are an order of arachnids , colloquially known as harvestmen , harvesters , harvest spiders , or daddy longlegs . As of July 2024 , over 6,650 species of harvestmen have been discovered worldwide, although

3660-696: The total number of extant species may exceed 10,000. The order Opiliones includes five suborders: Cyphophthalmi , Eupnoi , Dyspnoi , Laniatores , and Tetrophthalmi , which were named in 2014. Representatives of each extant suborder can be found on all continents except Antarctica . Well-preserved fossils have been found in the 400-million-year-old Rhynie cherts of Scotland, and 305-million-year-old rocks in France. These fossils look surprisingly modern, indicating that their basic body shape developed very early on, and, at least in some taxa, has changed little since that time. Their phylogenetic position within

3721-418: Was adopted by Systema Naturae 2000 and others. In botany , the ranks of subclass and suborder are secondary ranks pre-defined as respectively above and below the rank of order. Any number of further ranks can be used as long as they are clearly defined. The superorder rank is commonly used, with the ending -anae that was initiated by Armen Takhtajan 's publications from 1966 onwards. The order as

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