Giant Laotian harvestman

Giant Laotian harvestman
Scientific classification
Kingdom:	Animalia
Phylum:	Arthropoda
Class:	Arachnida
Order:	Opiliones
Family:	Sclerosomatidae
Genus:	Possibly Gagrella

The giant Laotian harvestman is the unofficial name for an as-yet undescribed species of Opiliones belonging to the family Sclerosomatidae. The species was discovered in April 2012 near a cave in the southern province of Khammouan, by Dr. Peter Jäger of the Senckenberg Research Institute in Frankfurt, Germany, whilst shooting a television documentary about the wildlife of Laos.[1]

Physical description

The giant Laotian harvestman dwells inside the caves of Laos, and has a leg span stretching just over 330 millimeters (13 inches), thus making it the second largest harvestman discovered so far – surpassed only by another species in South America.[2]

Predators

Predators of the giant Laotian harvestman most likely include the larger but not as lengthy giant huntsman spider (Heteropoda maxima), the centipede Thereuopoda longicornis,[3] other larger arthropods in terms of body mass (such as other predatory centipedes, huntsman spiders and larger arachnids), and small cave mammals.

Binomial nomenclature

As of 2012^[update], giant Laotian harvestman is still undescribed, lacking a scientific name. Opiliones taxonomist Dr. Ana Lúcia Tourinho concluded that it likely belongs to the genus Gagrella; additional samples have been collected and preserved in ethanol to allow their DNA to be sequenced to test this.[2][4]

References

1. Nuwer, Rachel (19 October 2012). "Giant, Foot-long Daddy Longlegs Discovered in Cave". Smithsonian Magazine. Archived from the original on 1 March 2017. Retrieved 3 January 2025.
2. "Giant Harvestman Yet to Be Named". Senckenberg Research Institute and Natural History Museum. 16 October 2012. Archived from the original on 19 November 2015. Retrieved 10 May 2015.
3. Sarah Miller (17 October 2012). "Giant Harvestman discovered in Laos Caves". Nature World News. Retrieved 10 May 2015.
4. Amy Briggs (16 October 2012). "Giant "Daddy Longlegs" Discovered in Laos". National Geographic Voices. National Geographic Society. Archived from the original on 4 April 2015. Retrieved 11 May 2015.