order Opiliones

9.9

A group of animals like spiders called harvestmen with small bodies and very long thin legs

noun

Specialized

: orden Opiliones

Unlike spiders, members of the order Opiliones have a fused body segment and lack venom glands.

Examples

The order Opiliones includes over 6,000 species of harvestmen found throughout the world.
Scientists discovered a new species within the order Opiliones during their expedition in South America.
The order Opiliones includes many fascinating species.
Did you know that the order Opiliones has over 6,000 species?
The order Opiliones contains small arachnids known for their long legs and lack of venom.
Research on the order Opiliones has revealed many unique adaptations in harvestmen.
Entomologists study the biodiversity within the order Opiliones to understand their ecological roles.

Synonyms

Opiliones

vsorder Opiliones

Specialized

1 9.9

A small round-bodied animal with very long thin legs that is not a spider

emphasizes very long thin legs more than general long legs

Phalangida

vsorder Opiliones

Specialized

9.9

A group of animals like daddy longlegs with compact bodies and long legs

stresses very long thin legs rather than just long legs

Surface Forms

order Opiliones singular

orders Opiliones plural

Morphology

order + Opiliones

The phrase combines the noun 'order' in its taxonomic sense with the taxon name 'Opiliones' (harvestmen), so its meaning — the taxonomic order called Opiliones — is directly derivable from the constituents. Although domain-specific, this compositional pattern for naming biological groups is common across languages, making the expression transparent to a learner who knows both words.

Etymology

One idea is that the name order Opiliones comes from the old Latin word opilio, meaning 'shepherd', because people thought these animals looked like little men in the fields. That's why the name now refers to 'harvestmen', small relatives of spiders with a small body and very long, thin legs.