Spiders of North Carolina

Arachnids of North Carolina

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

Libitioides ornata - Ornate Armored Harvestman COSMETIDAE Members:			NC Records	BugGuide Account	Public View

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Distribution Records
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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

Vonones ornatus

taxonomic_comments

Libitiodes ornatus is one of two species in this genus that occur in North America north of Mexico (Kury, 2003), both of which occur in North Carolina

species_comment

id_comments

A moderately small Armored Harvestman, with a flattened body and somewhat bowed legs, particularly the posterior pair. The body color is fuscous to ferruginous brown. Narrow yellow or whitish lines are variably present, with a Y-shaped mark located on the cephalothorax behind the eye eminence, and a pair of curved transverse lines located at the rear margin of the abdominal scutum. Additional transerse line segments may occur between the pair of tubercles on the scutum of the abdomen. Size, color, and pattern appear to be very similar to those of L. sayi, but ornatus differs in having two curved lines on the rear of the scutum that loop around the bases of posterior tubercles; in sayi, a single line runs horizontally across the rear edge of the scutum.

total_length

structural_features

The two pairs of tubercles on the abdomen are prominent in L. ornata, and about four to five times larger than the anterior pair (Weed, 1893; see also Banks, 1893, and Cokendolpher and Jones, 1991). In L. sayi, the tubercles are low and inconspicuous.

silk_web

fld_guide_descriptions

online_photos

prey

predators

behavior

distribution_reference

technical_reference

adult_id

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

abundance

distribution_comments

This species appears to be confined to the southern outer coastal plain.

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

Corey and Stout (1993) describe L. ornatus as inhabiting pine scrub, pond pine, and pine flatwoods communities in Florida. In North Carolina, it is often found under pine bark or debris on the ground. A canopy containing pines of several species is typically present. Occurrences appear to be located in dry to mesic areas and it has not been found in xeric sandridge habitats in North Carolina (Erich Hofmann, pers. obs.).

observation_methods

Usually found by flipping over bark or debris

state_protection

NHP_ranks

[GNR] S2S3

NHP_status

status_comments

Photo Gallery for Libitioides ornata Ornate Armored Harvestman
	Recorded by: Erich Hofmann & CFCC BIO146 Students Pender Co. Comment: Under dry pine log fragments just off the road.	Recorded by: Erich Hofmann Pender Co. Comment: Found under bark and fallen trees in pine stands
	Recorded by: Erich Hofmann New Hanover Co. Comment: Found in disturbed forest near Barnard's Creek under bark/logs. https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/75954153	Recorded by: Erich Hofmann New Hanover Co. Comment: Found in disturbed forest near Barnard's Creek under bark/logs. https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/75954153
	Recorded by: smbirdsnstuff Pender Co. Comment:	Recorded by: Erich Hofmann Craven Co. Comment: Found active in garden at night
	Recorded by: Erich Hofmann Craven Co. Comment: Found under cover objects in yard adjacent to Croatan National Forest, mixed pine/hardwood with pine stands nearby. Primarily found under fallen pine and pine bark, sometimes in drier decaying pine logs, as well as under cut logs, paving stones, and debris. This submission was made twice, as I received an error on the first submission. https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/41908698	Recorded by: Erich Hofmann Craven Co. Comment: Found under cover objects in yard adjacent to Croatan National Forest, mixed pine/hardwood with pine stands nearby. Primarily found under fallen pine and pine bark, sometimes in drier decaying pine logs, as well as under cut logs, paving stones, and debris. This submission was made twice, as I received an error on the first submission. https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/41908698

Photo Gallery for Libitioides ornata Ornate Armored Harvestman