Leiobunum politum
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
| Leiobunum politum | |
|---|---|
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| Leiobunum politum on a leaf in New Jersey | |
Scientific classification  | |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Arthropoda |
| Subphylum: | Chelicerata |
| Class: | Arachnida |
| Order: | Opiliones |
| Family: | Sclerosomatidae |
| Genus: | Leiobunum |
| Species: | L. politum |
| Binomial name | |
| Leiobunum politum Weed, 1889 | |
Leiobunum politum is a species of harvestman in the family Sclerosomatidae. It is a medium-sized North American species widely distributed in the eastern and southeastern United States, and is especially common in the Appalachian Mountains.[1][2][3] [4]
Leiobunum politum is a medium-sized harvestman. Males are about 3.5–5.0 mm in body length and females about 4.5–6.5 mm.[4] The body is generally yellow-brown, with a dark brown to black ocular tubercle bearing small sharp spines.[4]
Males usually lack prominent dorsal markings, while females may show a variably developed median abdominal mark.[4] The species can be distinguished from closely related species by the morphology of the male penis and the size of the genital operculum.[4]
Distribution
Leiobunum politum occurs widely across the eastern and southeastern United States.[4] It has been reported from the Appalachian Mountains from Maryland south to northern Florida, and westward into Mississippi, Louisiana, eastern Arkansas, and Illinois.[4]
Specimens have been collected throughout much of the Appalachian region and adjacent areas, where the species inhabits forested habitats.[4]
