Spiders of North Carolina

Arachnids of North Carolina

Order:
Scientific Name: Common Name:		Family (Alpha):

Hadrobunus maculosus - No Common Name Sclerosomatidae Members:			NC Records	BugGuide Account	Public View

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Distribution Records
PDF

Vetting Levels

Adult phenology:
High Mountains (HM) ≥ 4,000 ft.
Low Mountains (LM) < 4,000 ft.
Piedmont (Pd)
Coastal Plain (CP)

Click on graph to enlarge

synonym

taxonomic_comments

Hadrobunus currently comprises four species that occur in North America north of Mexico (Cokendolpher and Lee, 1993; Shultz, 2010, 2012). However, Shultz (2010, 2018) and Burns et al. (2012) note that several undescribed species exist and that Leiobunum formosum will be tranferred to Hadrobunus based on genetic analysis. Only Hadrobunus maculosus and H. fusiformis have so far been documented in North Carolina (L. formosum has one old record from Wake County).

species_comment

In Shultz's 2012 review of Hadrobunus grandis, true grandis was described as restricted to Peninsular Florida and north in the Coastal Plain to southern South Carolina. Specimens from North Carolina northward previously identified as grandis are now believed to represent H. maculosus instead. One exception, however, is Banks' record for grandis from the Swannanoa River valley near Black Mountain, which Shultz indicated might represent H. fusiforms in his 2010 description of that species. We have accordingly moved the Buncombe County record to Hadrobunus unidentified species account; the rest are now treated as maculosus.

id_comments

A large, short-legged harvestman. Color varies from reddish brown to darker grayish brown. Shultz (2012) describes the coloration in Maryland populations as changing seasonally: early summer individuals have a light brown ground color with highly contrasting markings, rows of prominent spots, and distinct banding on the legs; late season individuals are much darker and have a much less constrasting pattern. The undersurface, including the coxae, are ivory. The pedal trochanters and the femur and patella of the palps are mottled dark and pale. The front margin of the carapace also has contrasting dark markings and a dark central figure is present in at least the early season forms.

total_length

~10 mm (Shultz, 2018)

structural_features

The body is relatively large but the legs are short, with the femur of the first leg shorter than the body (Shultz, 2018). The scutum of the abdomen is composed of six segments and is covered with minute, black, backward-pointing denticles. The genital operculum is distinctive in both sexes (see illustrations and descriptions in Shultz, 2012, 2018). In males, the anterior edge is indented, which can be seen in externally. The abdomen is bluntly rounded rather than fusiform, as it is in H. fusiformis.

silk_web

fld_guide_descriptions

online_photos

BugGuide, The Harvestmen of Maryland

prey

We have observed Hadrobunus to prey on insects as large as crane flies

predators

behavior

distribution_reference

Shultz (2010) lists a record made in 1935 by H.K. Wallace in Burlington

technical_reference

Shultz (2018)

adult_id

1 identifiable by photo 2 identifiable by photo of specific features and/or supplementary info 3 identifiable from specimen only

abundance

We currently have too few records to estimate either its frequency of occurrence or abundance in North Carolina

distribution_comments

Currently, our records come from the Piedmont and Inner Coastal Plain; Shultz (2018) states that it ranges into western North Carolina. It seems likely that it will be documented statewide.

checklist_mt_high
>=4,000 ft.

Regular	Frequent	Infrequent	Occasional	Seldom	Frequency Regular – almost always observed on given visit; >=90% chance of observation Frequent – usually observed on a given visit; >=50%<90% chance of observation Infrequent – observed less than 50% of visits; >=25%<50% chance of observation Occasional – observed on only on a small minority of visits; >=10%<25% chance of observation Seldom – not usually seen on visits; <10% chance of observation These terms refer to visits to appropriate habitats made at appropriate times of the year, making use of common sampling/observation methods. Under those conditions, Frequency refers to the chance of observing at least one individual on a given visit made anywhere within a particular region, or over multiple visits to a single site.

checklist_mt_low
<4,000 ft.

Regular	Frequent	Infrequent	Occasional	Seldom

checklist_pd
Piedmont

Regular	Frequent	Infrequent	Occasional	Seldom

checklist_cp
Coastal Plain

Regular	Frequent	Infrequent	Occasional	Seldom

habitat

Shultz (2018) describes the habitat for this species as including "open or broken woodlands and adjacent non-wooded areas, including agricultural fields; less abundant in mature forests."

observation_methods

"Adults largely nocturnal, found under loose objects on the ground during the day" (Shultz, 2018)

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

NHP_ranks

[GNR] [S5]

NHP_status

status_comments

This species probably occurs across most of the state and appears to be fairly generalized in terms of its habitat use. Although we still have few records for this species, we believe it is secure within the state.

Photo Gallery for Hadrobunus maculosus No common name
	Recorded by: David George and Steve Hall Chatham Co. Comment:	Recorded by: David George and Steve Hall Chatham Co. Comment:
	Recorded by: Stephen Hall Chatham Co. Comment:	Recorded by: Steve Hall and Bo Sullivan Moore Co. Comment: Seen at moth sheet
	Recorded by: Steve Hall and Bo Sullivan Moore Co. Comment: Seen at moth sheet	Recorded by: Steve Hall Durham Co. Comment: Seen at the edge of the forest
	Recorded by: Steve Hall Orange Co. Comment: Seen at moth sheet	Recorded by: Steve Hall Orange Co. Comment:
	Recorded by: Steve Hall Orange Co. Comment:	Recorded by: Steve Hall Orange Co. Comment:
	Recorded by: Steve Hall Orange Co. Comment:	Recorded by: Steve Hall Stokes Co. Comment: Abundant. Came well to beer-banana bait and also seen on the ground, tree trunks, buildings, and at a moth sheet
	Recorded by: Brian Bockhahn Stokes Co. Comment:	Recorded by: Steve Hall Orange Co. Comment: Female found at base of moth sheet. Initially, the abdomen appeared hightly truncated but apparently due to dehydration; after given water in captivity, the abdomen re-expanded into a rounded shape
	Recorded by: Steve Hall Orange Co. Comment: Female found at base of moth sheet. Initially, the abdomen appeared hightly truncated but apparently due to dehydration; after given water in captivity, the abdomen re-expanded into a rounded shape	Recorded by: Steve Hall Orange Co. Comment: Female found at base of moth sheet. Initially, the abdomen appeared hightly truncated but apparently due to dehydration; after given water in captivity, the abdomen re-expanded into a rounded shape
	Recorded by: Steve Hall Orange Co. Comment: Female found at base of moth sheet. Initially, the abdomen appeared hightly truncated but apparently due to dehydration; after given water in captivity, the abdomen re-expanded into a rounded shape	Recorded by: Steve Hall Orange Co. Comment:
	Recorded by: Steve Hall Orange Co. Comment:	Recorded by: Steve Hall Orange Co. Comment:
	Recorded by: Steve Hall Orange Co. Comment:	Recorded by: Steve Hall Orange Co. Comment:
	Recorded by: Steve Hall Moore Co. Comment:

Photo Gallery for Hadrobunus maculosus No common name