Arachnids of North Carolina
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View Sclerosomatidae Members: NC Records

Leiobunum euserratipalpe Ingianni, McGhee & Shultz 2011 - No Common Name

Taxonomy
Order: OPILIONESSuborder: EupnoiSuperfamily: PhalangioideaFamily: SclerosomatidaeSynonym: Leiobunum serratipalpe                                                                                 
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: Belongs to the Leiobunum Calcar Species Group as described by Ingianni et al. (2011), based on both male and female reproductive structures; further confirmed by genetic analysis (Burns et al., 2012). Other North Carolina species in this group include nigropalpi, calcar, and hoffmani. This species was described by Ingianni et al. (2012) as a partial replacement for L. serratipalpe, some of which -- including the type specimen -- were misidentified specimens of calcar but with others truly belonging to a separate species. In order to clarify the situation, Ingianni et al. re-defined those specimens not belonging to calcar as a new species, euserratipalpe, based on a revised set of characters.
Identification
Online Description/Photos: BugGuide Google, iNaturalist, Wikipedia, GBIFTechnical Description: Ingianni et al. (2011)
Comments: Males are golden brown dorsally and ventrally, and are finely granulate on both the carapace and abdomen; rows of light spots may be present on the meso- and metapeltidium, as well as the scutal tergites (Ingianni et al. 2012). The ocularium is dark brown and the chelicerae and palps are usually golden brown with broken brown bands. The pedal coxae are also golden brown, contrasting with the dark reddish brown trochanters and bases of the femurs; the remainder of the legs are golden brown to dark brown. Females are more reddish brown and have a faint saddle (=central figure) with a dark border; the rows of light spots on the scutal tergites are well developed. Chelicerae, palps, and legs are colored similarly to the males. Leiobunum calcar is similar but males are easy to distinguish based on their palps; females may need to be examined under a microscope.
Total Length: 6.3 mm, male holotype; 7.9 mm, female paratype (Ingianni et al., 2012)Adult ID: identifiable by photo of specific features and/or supplementary info
Structural Features: The palps of the male are slender rather than inflated and lack the ventrolateral spurs on the femurs that are found in calcar and hoffmani. A patch of denticles are located on the retrolateral, distal end of the femur, as is characteristic of this species group; in this species, the denticles are restricted to the terminal third of the femur, whereas they extend over a larger area in nigropalpi. The patella of the palps also has a meso-distal apophysis which can be seen in good quality close-up photographs (see Ingianni et al., 2012, for illustrations and detailed descriptions).
Structural photos

Male, showing palps and reroductive structures. Specimen collected by SPH in Orange County, 2020-06-25
Distribution in North Carolina
Comments: Our records so far come from the eastern Piedmont west to the Mountains
County Map: Clicking on a county returns the records for the species in that county.
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: North Carolina records come from both high elevations in the Mountains to relatively low ones in the Piedmont; habitat at these sites appears to be mainly forest. In Maryland, this species appears to prefer bushy vegetation and is found along forest edges and in woodlands with significant understory (Shultz, 2018).
Observation Methods: This species is diurnally active and can be found by direct search of appropriate habitats
Abundance/Frequency: We currently have too few records from North Carolina to judge its frequency of occurrence or abundance. In Maryland, it is reported to be a very common early-to-mid summer species (Shultz, 2018).
Status in North Carolina
Natural Heritage Program Status:
Natural Heritage Program Ranks: [GNR] [S3S5]
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: We have too few records for this species currently to estimate the conservation status of this species. However, it appears to be associated with common types of habitat and probably will turn out to be secure within the state.

 Photo Gallery for Leiobunum euserratipalpe - No common name

Photos: 12

Recorded by: Steve Hall and Carol Tingley on 2021-07-26
Durham Co.
Comment: 		Recorded by: Steve Hall on 2020-07-15
Orange Co.
Comment:
Recorded by: Steve Hall on 2020-06-27
Orange Co.
Comment: Female		Recorded by: Steve Hall on 2020-06-25
Orange Co.
Comment: Male; confirmed by dissection
Recorded by: Steve Hall on 2019-06-27
Orange Co.
Comment: 		Recorded by: Steve Hall on 2019-06-27
Orange Co.
Comment:
Recorded by: Steve Hall on 2019-06-24
Orange Co.
Comment: Male		Recorded by: Steve Hall on 2019-06-24
Orange Co.
Comment: Male
Recorded by: Steve Hall on 2019-06-23
Orange Co.
Comment: Female		Recorded by: Steve Hall on 2019-06-23
Orange Co.
Comment: Female
Recorded by: Steve Hall on 2019-06-23
Orange Co.
Comment: Female		Recorded by: Steve Hall on 2019-06-23
Orange Co.
Comment: Female; venter