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Grotesque Harvestman


Grotesque Harvestman
Photo Information
Copyright: Steve Reekie (LordPotty) Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Star Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 1449 W: 146 N: 3764] (12033)
Genre: Animals
Medium: Color
Date Taken: 2008-09-28
Categories: Spiders
Camera: Panasonic Lumix DMC-FZ8, Raynox DCR 150 macro lens
Exposure: f/7.1, 1/100 seconds
More Photo Info: [view]
Photo Version: Original Version
Date Submitted: 2009-05-31 0:56
Viewed: 790
Points: 22
[Note Guidelines] Photographer's Note
Opiliones
Harvestmen

Scientific classification
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Arthropoda
Class: Arachnida
Subclass: Dromopoda
Order: Opiliones
Sundevall, 1833

Diversity
4 suborders, > 6,400 species
Suborders
Cyphophthalmi
Eupnoi
Dyspnoi
Laniatores

Harvestmen are eight-legged invertebrate animals belonging to the order Opiliones (formerly Phalangida) in the class Arachnida, in the subphylum Chelicerata of the phylum Arthropoda. As of 2006[update], over 6,400 species of harvestmen have been discovered worldwide, although the real number of extant species may exceed 10,000.[1] The order Opiliones can be divided in four suborders: Cyphophthalmi (Simon, 1879), Eupnoi (Hansen & Sørensen, 1904), Dyspnoi (Hansen & Sørensen, 1904) and Laniatores (Thorell, 1876). Well-preserved fossils have been found in the 400-million year old Rhynie cherts of Scotland, which look surprisingly modern, indicating that the basic structure of the harvestmen has not changed much since then. Phylogenetic position is disputed: their closest relatives may be the mites (Acari) or the Novogenuata (the Scorpiones, Pseudoscorpiones and Solifugae).
Although they belong to the class of arachnids, harvestmen are not spiders, which are of the order Araneae rather than the order Opiliones.

In some places, harvestmen are known by the name "daddy longlegs" or "granddaddy longlegs", but this name is also used for two other unrelated arthropods: the crane fly (Tipulidae) and the cellar spider (Pholcidae).
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Even though this creature is not,strictly speaking,a spider,I put it in the spider category,because,as an arachnid,it is closer to a spider than to an insect.

It looks a fearsome and grotesque creature from this perspective,but if you were to look directly at this on the underside of a branch,it is so small and well camouflaged that it is unlikely that you would be able to spot it,even if you were told exactly where to look!
I lost it many times while trying to photograph it.

The reason this shot is not so clear....The whole creature was tiny,the legs were teeny weeny.
I could hardly see these front palps with the naked eye,let alone the tiny spines.
This was taken through a Raynox DCR150 macro teleconverter,using a Panasonic Lumix DMC FZ8 in macro mode,zoomed in to the max optical zoom (12x)

Hope you like it.

Cheers
Steve
cicindela, boreocypriensis, jlinaresp, valy67, Gert-Paassen, rcrick has marked this note useful
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Critiques [Translate]

  • Great 
  • foozi Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Note Writer [C: 1297 W: 0 N: 2467] (8757)
  • [2009-05-31 3:45]

Hi Lord,
this one looks like a monster in a japaness series. Really grotesque and very well shown in excellent details.
I myself dot know what they call it in my mother tongue.
Just some weird name.
nice presentation.

regards,
Foozi

What a close-up! This one looks really terrible! (a cousin of Devil's couchman? ;> hihihi!
Our European species of these arachnids do not look so dangerous ;>
Very nice educative picture Steve!
TFS and have a nice Sunday!
Radomir

Hi Steve, great close-up of a harvestman. Colours and details are also wonderful. Excellent notes as usual.ç
TFS and have a nice Sunday MF!
Cheers,
Bayram

  • Great 
  • Mana Gold Star Critiquer/Silver Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 1899 W: 36 N: 5578] (18516)
  • [2009-05-31 10:40]

Hi Steve,
Wonderful macro image with amazing clarity of details. It really looks like a monster. Excellent POV. Kudos.
TFS.
Sumon

Hi Steve!

Very good shot, much closer, the picture draws much attention, when I opened the page of the gallery I had to go directly to it. Very complex structure filled with excellent detail. I have to confession to this bug is pretty horrible! ... greetings and thanks for sharing. I hope you are well!

Jesús

  • Great 
  • PaulH Gold Star Critiquer/Silver Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 1101 W: 23 N: 3605] (12949)
  • [2009-06-01 11:26]

Wasn't too sure what i was looking at at first here, you did very well to get such a small creature with as much detail as you did. The low POV must have been tricky! The thing i like most are its markings - great effort and thanks for sharing it.
Paul

  • Great 
  • valy67 Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Star Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 1879 W: 59 N: 2915] (8733)
  • [2009-06-01 11:54]

Hello Steve !
Although in reality it is a tiny thing, on your picture it looks like a true monster out of a science-fiction movie ! :-) Very impressive ! I eally like all the details you managed to capture, specially those "spikes" who look thretening and dangerous. Very well done !
Valérie.

Is reminiscent of science-fiction film.
Photos are a little more clearly if I wish.
Thank you so much for this beautiful frame.

Hi Steve,

the Alien are escaped!
Good macroshot with enough sharpness and dof.

Fine colours.
Brr, scary monster.

Gert

  • Great 
  • rcrick Gold Star Critiquer/Silver Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 710 W: 36 N: 1542] (4971)
  • [2009-06-04 22:12]

Hi Steve,

You know these things really freak me out I"m not a spider lover, why the heck I'm looking at this I'll never know; but it fascinates me, mate this really got a belt with the ugly stick but the detail is amazing, opps there goes another shiver down the spine, I'm outa here, love it :) "At a distance"

Cheers Rick :)

Hi steve

Well with all those spines, its easy to see why they are successfull predators. Nice macro of this grusome creature.

Chris

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