Arachnids of North Carolina
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View Sclerosomatidae Members: NC Records

Leiobunum vittatum (Say 1821) - No Common Name

Leiobunum vittatumLeiobunum vittatumLeiobunum vittatum
Taxonomy
Order: OPILIONESSuborder: EupnoiSuperfamily: PhalangioideaFamily: Sclerosomatidae                                                                                 
Comments: Approximately 30 species in this genus have been identified as occurring in North America north of Mexico (Cokendolpher and Lee, 1993; Ingianni et al., 2011), with 16 recorded in North Carolina. However, the validity of several of these species is suspect, with several that will probably be determined to be synonyms of other species, e.g., davisi, speciosum, and zimmermani in North Carolina Burns et al., 2012; Shultz, 2018). According to Shultz (2018), moreover, recent phylogenetic studies indicate both that more species are waiting to be described and that the name Leiobunum may eventually be restricted to European species, requiring new generic names for most, if not all, of our species.
Species Comment: Placed in the Leiobunum vittatum Species Group by Burns et al. 2012) based on both reproductive structures and genetic analysis. In North Carolina, this group also includes L. uxorium.
Identification
Online Description/Photos: BugGuide Google, iNaturalist, Wikipedia, GBIFTechnical Description: Davis (1934); Shultz (2018)
Comments: Males are golden-yellow to dark red-brown above. The central figure is distinct and there are often black and light yellow markings along the sides of the abdomen. The palps are light yellow to red-brown. The coxae of the legs are pale and contrasting with the dark brown trochanters and bases of the femurs; the remainder of the legs are either pale with dark annulations or are uniformly dark (Davis, 1934). Females are similarly variable in color and in their possession of a strong central figure. Individuals of both sexes become darker as they age (Shultz, 2018); juveniles are contrastingly marked with black and white.
Total Length: 5-7 mm, males; 7-8.5 mm, females (Davis, 1934)Adult ID: identifiable by photo of specific features and/or supplementary info
Structural Features: The palpal femur of the male is distinctive: slender, curved, and extending above surface of carapace a distance equal to three times the height of the eye tubercle (Davis, 1934). The abdomen of the male is pointed behind, rounded in the female.
Distribution in North Carolina
Comments: North Carolina records come from both the Piedmont and Mountains, including at least one record from high elevations
County Map: Clicking on a county returns the records for the species in that county.
Leiobunum vittatum
Adult phenology:
 High Mountains (HM) ≥ 4,000 ft.
 Low Mountains (LM) < 4,000 ft.
 Piedmont (Pd)
 Coastal Plain (CP)

Click on graph to enlarge
Habitats and Life History
Habitats: Usually associated with trees or other woody vegetation (Shultz, 2018)
Observation Methods: Shultz (2018) describes vittatum as "the most common and visible of the late-season harvestmen in Maryland; dark, senescent individuals may persist into early winter."
Abundance/Frequency: We currently have too few records from North Carolina to judge its frequency of occurrence or abundance
Status in North Carolina
Natural Heritage Program Status:
Natural Heritage Program Ranks: [GNR] S4S5
State Protection: Arachnids are not protected under state law, although permits are needed to collect them in State Parks and other public and private nature preserves
Comments: This species is likely to be found over most of the state and probably not in association with restricted habitat types. It is most likely secure within the state.

 Photo Gallery for Leiobunum vittatum - No common name

64 photos are available. Only the most recent 30 are shown.

Recorded by: K. Sanford on 2025-09-23
Bertie Co.
Comment: 		Recorded by: Stephanie Willis on 2025-07-01
Guilford Co.
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Recorded by: Stephanie Willis on 2025-07-01
Guilford Co.
Comment: 		Recorded by: Stephanie Willis on 2025-07-01
Guilford Co.
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Recorded by: Marilyn Westphal on 2025-06-19
Henderson Co.
Comment: 		Recorded by: Steve Hall, Jim Petranka, Becky Elkin, Meriel Goodwin, Gary Perlmutter, and Bruce Sorrie on 2025-05-24
Richmond Co.
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Recorded by: Leona Buck on 2025-05-09
Mecklenburg Co.
Comment: 		Recorded by: Leona Buck on 2025-05-09
Mecklenburg Co.
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Recorded by: Leona Buck on 2025-05-09
Mecklenburg Co.
Comment: 		Recorded by: Leona Buck on 2025-05-09
Mecklenburg Co.
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Recorded by: Steven Acesta on 2024-06-27
Forsyth Co.
Comment: 		Recorded by: Brian Bockhahn on 2024-05-10
Chatham Co.
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Recorded by: Nathan Vaughan on 2023-11-22
Person Co.
Comment: 		Recorded by: Mark Basinger on 2023-10-10
Brunswick Co.
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Recorded by: Mark Basinger on 2023-09-27
Wilson Co.
Comment: 		Recorded by: Mark Basinger on 2023-09-27
Wilson Co.
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Recorded by: Ken Kneidel on 2023-09-07
Yancey Co.
Comment: 		Recorded by: Dean Furbish on 2023-05-17
Wake Co.
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Recorded by: Terrell Tucker on 2022-11-20
Moore Co.
Comment: 		Recorded by: Jim Petranka and Becky Elkin on 2022-06-12
Madison Co.
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Recorded by: Jim Petranka and Becky Elkin on 2022-06-12
Madison Co.
Comment: 		Recorded by: Owen McConnell on 2022-06-02
Durham Co.
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Recorded by: Ken Kneidel on 2022-05-31
Mecklenburg Co.
Comment: 		Recorded by: Ken Kneidel on 2022-05-31
Mecklenburg Co.
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Recorded by: Steve Hall on 2021-10-27
Durham Co.
Comment: 		Recorded by: Steve Hall on 2021-10-27
Durham Co.
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Recorded by: Steve Hall and Savannah Hall on 2021-10-07
Orange Co.
Comment: 		Recorded by: Steve Hall and Bo Sullivan on 2021-10-03
Moore Co.
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Recorded by: Steve Hall on 2021-09-30
Durham Co.
Comment: 		Recorded by: Steve Hall on 2021-09-30
Durham Co.
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