Southern Marsh Orchids

Southern Marsh Orchids

Wednesday 2 October 2013

Nelima gothica in Barry

I found a Harvestman which turned out to be Nelima Gothica in the garden of the house I am renovating in Barry.  According to Hillyard's excellent Synopsis of Harvestmen it appears to have a preference for the coast.The easiest diagnostic feature for this species are the rows of black spicules and spines running front to back along each side of the top of the ocularium.
Poss Nelima gothica
Credit:David Blackledge
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According to both the Spider Recording Scheme and the NBN Gateway there are few records of this species from Glamorgan.  Like many other arachnids it is likely to be under-recorded; I also found it in my garden at home in 2012.


Acknowledgement: Spider Recording Scheme/British Arachnological Society (2012) Website and on-line database facility
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2 comments:

  1. Well done on that one Adam. I'd probably have overlooked it as the common Paroligolophus agrestis.

    George

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  2. Strangely I've never seen Paraligolophus agrestis! The other very much less obvious characteristic is pectinate palpal claws which puts it in Leobuninae/Gyantinae rather than Phalangidae and P agrestis. The pectination is not hugely obvious even at x60 so it involves quite a lot of fiddling trying to get the beast on it's side to get just the right angle - probably easier to remove the pedipalp in fact...

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