What the sources say
European HarvestmanPhalangium opilio
Every figure, record and mechanism on the European Harvestman profile was written from a source, and this is the working table behind it: 35 claims checked word for word against these sources. The left column is what the page says. The right column is the source's own words, copied, not paraphrased; a ... marks a cut and[brackets] an insertion. Open any source and check it yourself.
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Source
01
Biological Control: A Guide to Natural Enemies in North America, Cornell University
Phalangium opilio. Biological Control: A Guide to Natural Enemies in North America, Cornell University.
- The page saysa stilt-legged arachnid with a body roughly 3.5 to 9 millimeters long
- The source says
The most notable features of P. opilio and many other harvestmen are the long, slender legs and short, globular body. Adult body length is approximately 3.5-9 mm
Note: tagline; 'stilt-legged' is figurative for the long slender legs - The page saysCrops and other disturbed ground across Europe and northern Asia, and introduced to Canada
- The source says
P. opilio tends to be the most common in relatively disturbed habitats such as most crops in temperate regions
Note: stats.habitat, first half. Range halves are claimed from ITIS below. - The page saysAphids, caterpillars and other soft-bodied arthropods, and it may also eat dead insects, earthworms and other harvestmen
- The source says
Harvestmen will feed on many soft bodied arthropods in crops, including aphids, caterpillars, leafhoppers, beetle larvae, mites, and small slugs.
Note: stats.diet - The page saysit may also eat dead insects, earthworms and other harvestmen
- The source says
P. opilio also may feed on dead insects and other decaying material, as well as earthworms, other harvestmen, spiders and other beneficial invertebrates
- The page saysLong, slender legs and a short, globular body are the European harvestman's most notable features.
- The source says
The most notable features of P. opilio and many other harvestmen are the long, slender legs and short, globular body.
- The page saysThat body is about 3.5 to 9 mm long in adults, and males are generally smaller than females.
- The source says
Adult body length is approximately 3.5-9 mm, with males generally smaller than females.
- The page saysLike a spider, a harvestman has two main body sections, eight legs and no antennae.
- The source says
Like the spiders and most adult mites, harvestmen have two major body sections and eight legs and lack antennae.
- The page saysUnlike a spider's, its two sections are broadly joined.
- The source says
Unlike spiders, the two body sections of harvestmen are broadly joined
- The page saysIn crops, harvestmen feed on many soft-bodied arthropods, such as aphids, caterpillars, leafhoppers, beetle larvae, mites and small slugs.
- The source says
Harvestmen will feed on many soft bodied arthropods in crops, including aphids, caterpillars, leafhoppers, beetle larvae, mites, and small slugs.
- The page saysP. opilio may also eat dead insects, earthworms, spiders and other harvestmen, and it has a tendency toward cannibalism.
- The source says
P. opilio also may feed on dead insects and other decaying material, as well as earthworms, other harvestmen, spiders and other beneficial invertebrates. Although its generalist feeding habits and tendency for cannibalism
- The page saysOn its own it appears unable to keep any pest under control.
- The source says
P. opilio by itself appears unable to keep populations of any pest under control
- The page saysIt is one member of a gang of generalist predators found in many crops, though, and together they help keep pest numbers low.
- The source says
it serves as one member of a complex of generalist predators that exist in many crops and that together are able to help keep pest densities low
- The page saysIn Europe the species has one generation a year and overwinters as eggs.
- The source says
In Europe P. opilio has a single generation per year and overwinters as eggs.
- The page saysThe eggs hatch in three weeks to five months or more, depending on temperature, and the young take two to three months to mature, also depending on temperature.
- The source says
The eggs hatch in three weeks to five months or more, depending on temperature, and the immatures undergo several molts and reach maturity in two to three months, again depending on temperature.
- The page saysOf the many harvestman species, P. opilio tends to be the most common in disturbed habitats such as crop fields in temperate regions.
- The source says
Of the many species of harvestmen known, P. opilio tends to be the most common in relatively disturbed habitats such as most crops in temperate regions
- The page saysNo. Unlike spiders, harvestmen have no web-spinning organs.
- The source says
Unlike spiders, the two body sections of harvestmen are broadly joined and no web spinning organs are present.
- The page saysYes. This species is highly susceptible to at least some broad-spectrum insecticides, while more specific products such as Bts appear to be less harmful.
- The source says
P. opilio is highly susceptible to at least some broad spectrum insecticides, while some more specific products, such as Bts, appear to be less harmful.
- The page saysThe top carries an indistinct, variable pattern of light gray or brown, and the underside is typically light cream.
- The source says
The upper surface of the body is colored with an indistinct and variable light gray or brown pattern, and the lower surface is typically light cream.
- The page saysIn parts of North America, two or more generations may occur in a year.
- The source says
In parts of North America two or more generations may occur
- The page saysIn moist places: under rocks, in cracks in the soil, or between the soil and a plant's crown or the leaves lying against the ground.
- The source says
Eggs are laid in moist areas under rocks, in cracks in the soil, or between the soil and the crowns or recumbent leaves of plants.
- The page saysThis harvestman gets about on long, slender legs that hang from a short, globular body.
- The source says
The most notable features of P. opilio and many other harvestmen are the long, slender legs and short, globular body.
Note: vibe.reason; reuses the body claim
Source
02
Integrated Taxonomic Information System
Phalangium opilio Linnaeus, 1758 (TSN 1014112). Integrated Taxonomic Information System.
- The page saysEurope and northern Asia, and introduced to Canada
- The source says
Europe & Northern Asia (excluding China) North America Jurisdiction/Origin: Canada, Introduced
Note: stats.habitat range - The page saysNot Evaluated
- The source says
Phalangium opilio Linnaeus, 1758
Note: stats.conservationStatus. No Red List assessment: GBIF's copy of the Red List has no category for Phalangium opilio and the prefetch found no assessment DOI; Crossref Red List searches under synonyms failed with HTTP 429 and were not repeated. ITIS is cited for the species name only. Precedent great-scallop, moon-jellyfish. - The page saysIt is found in Europe and northern Asia, and it has been introduced to Canada.
- The source says
Europe & Northern Asia (excluding China) North America Jurisdiction/Origin: Canada, Introduced
Source
03
Gainett et al. 2022
Gainett et al. (2022). Eggs to long-legs: embryonic staging of the harvestman Phalangium opilio (Opiliones), an emerging model arachnid. Frontiers in Zoology.
- The page saysIn a lab colony, a female lays a typical clutch of about 250 eggs roughly every three days
- The source says
A typical egg clutch contains approximately 250 embryos
Note: stats.superpower - The page saysroughly every three days
- The source says
Females of P. opilio lay one egg clutch approximately every three days, when provided with fresh food and a container with moist coconut fiber at 26 °C
- The page saysIt belongs to Opiliones, the third-largest order of arachnids, with over 6,500 described species.
- The source says
Opiliones is the third-largest order of Arachnida ... with over 6,500 described species
- The page saysPhalangium opilio was the first harvestman described with the Linnean system, the scientific naming scheme.
- The source says
the first species of Opiliones described with the Linnean system
- The page saysHarvestmen also carry repugnatorial glands, which deter predators.
- The source says
unique repugnatorial glands for deterring predators
Note: Order scope (Opiliones), worded as harvestmen in general. - The page saysTheir openings are called ozopores, and in a lab-reared P. opilio embryo red pigment starts to show around them at about day 14.
- The source says
Stage 17: Ozopore pigmentation (day 14) Stage 17 is defined by the onset of red pigmentation around the ozopores, which are the openings of the repugnatorial glands
- The page saysIn a lab colony kept at 26 °C, females laid one egg clutch about every three days, and a typical clutch held approximately 250 embryos.
- The source says
Females of P. opilio lay one egg clutch approximately every three days, when provided with fresh food and a container with moist coconut fiber at 26 °C
Note: Clutch size from the same paper: 'A typical egg clutch contains approximately 250 embryos'. - The page saysa typical clutch held approximately 250 embryos
- The source says
A typical egg clutch contains approximately 250 embryos
- The page saysThe eggs are almost spherical and about 0.55 mm across.
- The source says
Eggs measure approximately 550 µm in diameter, are light-yellow in color, and are almost spherical.
Note: 550 µm = 0.55 mm. Reviewer: the Cornell page says about 0.4 mm; the 2022 paper's measured figure replaces it. - The page saysAdults in a research colony lived 40 to 60 days.
- The source says
The adult lifespan is 40–60 days.
Note: Lab colony at UW-Madison (Fig. 1 caption: 'terraria where adults P. opilio are kept at the Sharma lab (UW-Madison)'). - The page saysAdults can be collected in temperate parts of North America, Europe and East Asia, and in New Zealand.
- The source says
Adult animals can be collected in temperate regions of North America, Europe, East Asia, as well as New Zealand.
How the table was made: a writer drafted the profile from these sources and logged each claim with its quote, a reviewer with nothing but this table checked every sentence said no more than its quote, and a script confirmed each quote appears word for word in the source. The method is in the site'sAbout page.