Arachnids of North Carolina
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Scientific Name: Common Name: Family (Alpha):
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View Sclerosomatidae Members: NC Records

Leiobunum verrucosum (Wood, 1868) - No Common Name


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 Early-season Leiobunum Species Group by Burns et al. (2012) based on its overwintering as a juvenile as well as genetic analysis. In North Carolina, this group also includes L. flavum and ventricosum.
Identification
Online Description/Photos: BugGuide Google, iNaturalist, Wikipedia, GBIFTechnical Description: Davis (1934); Shultz (2018)
Comments: According to Davis (1934), the dorsal surface is a nearly uniform brown; Shultz (2018) gives the color as red-brown in the males and dark brown in the females. The eye tubercle very dark brown or black above, lighter below in front. Central markings indistinct or subobsolete in males but dark in early season males and females; only pairs of dark anterior and posterior lines on the scutum may be present in older individuals; in females, a light band is present on the last scutal tergite (Shultz, 2018). The venter is silver-white, coxae included. The trochanters of the legs and bases of the femora are black, contrasting with coxae; the remainder of legs golden-brown. Palpi are yellow. Both flavum and ventricosum are different in male coloration and in both sexes the colors of the coxae and trochanters are concolorous rather than contrasting. A number of immatures shown on BugGuide and verified by Shultz are gray-brown, with a dark central figure that has extensions onto the sides of the abdomen at the end of the scutum.
Total Length: ~6 mm, males; ~8 mm, females (Shultz, 2018)Adult ID: identifiable by photo of specific features and/or supplementary info
Structural Features: Both male and female reproductive structures are diagnostic (Davis, 1934; Shultz, 2018)
Distribution in North Carolina
Comments: The records we have span the state, from the low Mountains to the Tidewater region.
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: In Maryland, Shultz (2018) notes that verrucosum is common in late spring on vegetation near woods (especially brambles), and tends to move into woods later.
Observation Methods: Overwinters as juveniles and matures in the spring; probably day-active and best found by direct searches in likely habitats
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] [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: Although we have very few current records from North Carolina to judge its conservation status, it may potentially occur statewide and occupy a wide variety of forested to semi-open habitats. Consequently, it is likely to be secure within the state.

 Photo Gallery for Leiobunum verrucosum - No common name

Photos: 8

Recorded by: Steve Hall and Bo Sullivan on 2020-10-10
Moore Co.
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Recorded by: Steve Hall and Bo Sullivan on 2020-10-10
Moore Co.
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Recorded by: Steve Hall and Bo Sullivan on 2020-09-09
Moore Co.
Comment: Adult male found on moth sheet
Recorded by: Steve Hall and Bo Sullivan on 2020-09-09
Moore Co.
Comment: Adult male found on moth sheet
Recorded by: Ken Kneidel on 2019-12-04
Cabarrus Co.
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Recorded by: Ken Kneidel on 2019-12-04
Cabarrus Co.
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Recorded by: Steve Hall and Bo Sullivan on 2019-06-30
Ashe Co.
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Recorded by: Steve Hall and Bo Sullivan on 2019-06-30
Ashe Co.
Comment: