''Taracus'' is a
genus
Genus (; : genera ) is a taxonomic rank above species and below family (taxonomy), family as used in the biological classification of extant taxon, living and fossil organisms as well as Virus classification#ICTV classification, viruses. In bino ...
of
harvestman
The Opiliones (formerly Phalangida) are an order of arachnids,
colloquially known as harvestmen, harvesters, harvest spiders, or daddy longlegs (see below). , over 6,650 species of harvestmen have been discovered worldwide, although the total n ...
,
or
Opiliones
The Opiliones (formerly Phalangida) are an Order (biology), order of arachnids,
Common name, colloquially known as harvestmen, harvesters, harvest spiders, or daddy longlegs (see below). , over 6,650 species of harvestmen have been discovered w ...
, typically found living in
limestone
Limestone is a type of carbonate rock, carbonate sedimentary rock which is the main source of the material Lime (material), lime. It is composed mostly of the minerals calcite and aragonite, which are different Polymorphism (materials science) ...
and
lava cave
A lava cave is any cave formed in volcanic rock, though it typically means caves formed by volcanic processes, which are more properly termed volcanic caves. Sea caves, and other sorts of erosional and crevice caves, may be formed in volcanic rock ...
s in the United States. They grow to a size of .
Taxonomy
''Taracus'' contains the following species, per World Catalog of Opiliones.
[ Of the 14 described species (as of 2023), almost all are found in the ]United States
The United States of America (USA), also known as the United States (U.S.) or America, is a country primarily located in North America. It is a federal republic of 50 U.S. state, states and a federal capital district, Washington, D.C. The 48 ...
.
* '' Taracus aspenae'' Shear, 2018 (USA: Oregon)
* '' Taracus audisioae'' Shear, 2016 (USA: California)
* '' Taracus birsteini'' Ljovuschkin, 1971 (Russia: Primorsky Krai)
* '' Taracus carmanah'' Shear, 2016 (Canada: British Columbia)
* '' Taracus fluvipileus'' Shear, 2016 (USA: California)
* '' Taracus gertschi'' Goodnight & Goodnight, 1942 (USA: Idaho, Oregon, etc; Canada: Alberta, British Columbia)
* '' Taracus marchingtoni'' Shear & Warfel, 2016 (USA: Oregon)
* '' Taracus packardi'' Simon, 1879 (USA: Colorado, New Mexico)
* '' Taracus pallipes'' Banks, 1894 (USA: Washington, Oregon, California)
* '' Taracus silvestrii'' Roewer, 1930 (USA: Oregon)
* '' Taracus spesavius'' Shear, 2016 (USA: Nevada)
* '' Taracus taylori'' Shear, 2016 (USA: Nevada)
* '' Taracus timpanogos'' Shear, 2016 (USA: Utah)
* '' Taracus ubicki'' Shear, 2016 (USA: California)
Elsewhere (as of 2023):
For '' Taracus spinosus'' Banks, 1894 and its synonym '' Taracus malkini'' Goodnight & Goodnight, 1945 see '' Oskoron spinosus'' (Banks, 1894). For '' Taracus nigripes'' Goodnight & Goodnight, 1943 see as synonym of '' Taracus packardi'' Simon, 1879.
References
Harvestmen
Arthropods of the United States
{{Opiliones-stub