Definition

1. Noun:
   • Order Opiliones: A taxonomic order within the class Arachnida, comprising arachnids commonly known as harvestmen or daddy longlegs. These creatures are characterized by their small, oval bodies and extremely long, slender legs. Unlike spiders, their bodies appear as a single fused segment, and they lack venom glands and silk-producing organs.

Examples of Usage

• Noun:
  • The order Opiliones includes over 6,500 species of harvestmen worldwide.
  • Biologists study the unique defensive chemistry found in many members of the order Opiliones.

Advanced Usage

• In scientific classification: Used precisely to denote this specific arachnid order in taxonomic and biological texts.
  • The fossil record suggests the order Opiliones is an ancient group dating back to the Devonian period.

Variants and Related Words

• Opiliones (noun): The scientific name for the order itself, often used interchangeably with "order Opiliones" in academic writing.
• Harvestman (noun, plural: harvestmen): The common name for an individual arachnid belonging to this order.
• Daddy longlegs (noun, plural: daddy longlegs): A common colloquial name for harvestmen in some regions (note: this name is also used for crane flies and cellar spiders in other contexts).

Synonyms

• Harvestmen (noun): The common name for the group as a whole.
• Daddy longlegs (noun, informal): A widely recognized synonym, though it can be ambiguous.

Related Phrases

• Member of Opiliones: A phrase used to describe an individual specimen belonging to this order.
  • This specimen is a member of Opiliones, not a true spider.

Noun

1. harvestmen