Rilaena triangularis
Species of harvestman/daddy longlegs
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Rilaena triangularis is a species of the harvestman family Phalangiidae.[1] It is sometimes considered to be in the genus Paraplatybunus, in the subfamily Platybuninae.
| Rilaena triangularis | |
|---|---|
| |
Scientific classification  | |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Arthropoda |
| Subphylum: | Chelicerata |
| Class: | Arachnida |
| Order: | Opiliones |
| Family: | Phalangiidae |
| Genus: | Rilaena |
| Species: | R. triangularis |
| Binomial name | |
| Rilaena triangularis (Herbst, 1799) | |
| Synonyms | |
|
Opilio triangularis | |
Description
Rilaena triangularis is a harvestman that lives across Europe. This species was first described by Johann Friedrich Wilhelm Herbst in 1799, initially as Phalangium triangularis. It was later renamed through recombination.[2] The triangularis portion of its name can be attributed to its "saddle pattern" as the dorsal surfaces (back) typically feature a slightly darker, triangular or vase-shaped "saddle" marking, which is often outlined with a lighter, whitish or pale-yellow colour.
Chemical defense
When disturbed, Rilaena triangularis emits a strong-smelling secretion as a chemical defense.[1] This fluid contains 1,4-benzoquinone, 1,4-naphthoquinone and caprylic acid.
