Brown Daddy Long-legs

Brown Daddy Long-legs

I remember that, as a child, I sat on the back step of my house and watched this species.  When asked, "What is that spider?" My parents answered "Daddy Long-legs."  When I saw the above I immediately went to that remembrance.

I went to Wikipedia so that I could provide you accurate information but I could not find it.  I soon learned that further searching was needed.  The ODNR booklet on spiders in Ohio did not list it.  Here's what I found out.  The scientific name is Phalangium Opiliones.  It is now grouped with the Harvestmen: 

Subphylum‎: ‎Chelicerata

Order‎: ‎Opiliones; ‎Sundevall‎, 1833

Phylum‎: ‎Arthropoda

Class‎: ‎Arachnida

 

Those who know have decided that Daddy Long-legs is not a true spider.  The primary reason they gave was related to fangs.  A true spider's fangs cross like those of an ant.  Those of the Daddy Long-legs and other "spiders, demoted to non-nonspider status" go straight down.  I also picked up a spelling correction, mine or National Audubon Society or both.  It is Phalangium Opiliones.  So now you have it!  All that work so I could show you the above image!!  Oh, I didn't mention that Sundevall grouped them in the correct phylum in 1833 without telling me.  Who would have thought?

No thanks to ODNR, Audubon and Wikipedia, Dad & Mom!

Thanks to Gorman Nature Center for the opportunity to capture these images.

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