Sabacon

Simon, 1879

Species Guides

Sabacon cavicolens(North American cavernicolous Harvestman)

Sabacon is a of harvestmen (order Opiliones) comprising the Sabaconidae, with approximately 59 recognized as of 2023. Species in this genus are primarily cave-dwelling or associated with moist, sheltered in temperate and regions of the Northern Hemisphere. The genus exhibits a disjunct distribution pattern with centers in North America (especially the southern Appalachians), Europe (Pyrenees, Alps), and Asia (Altai Mountains, Siberia). Several species have been described recently, indicating ongoing taxonomic discovery.

Sabacon cavicolens (Marshal Hedin) by Marshal Hedin. Used under a CC BY-SA 2.5 license.

Opiliones, Dyspnoi, F. Sabaconidae, Sabacon cf. cavicolens (3680466276) by Marshal Hedin from San Diego. Used under a CC BY 2.0 license.

Opiliones, Dyspnoi, F. Sabaconidae, Sabicon cavicolens (2278894684) by Marshal Hedin from San Diego. Used under a CC BY 2.0 license.

Pronunciation

How to pronounce Sabacon: /ˈsæbəkɒn/

These audio files are automatically generated. While they are not always 100% accurate, they are a good starting point.

Images

Habitat

have been recorded from caves, rocky crevices, and moist microhabitats under stones and wood debris. Sabacon cavicolens is specialized for southern Appalachian cave systems. Sabacon viscayanum has been documented from coal spoil sites in Wales, where it occurs under damp rocks and wood debris. In the Altai Mountains, species occupy montane forest .

Distribution

Disjunct Northern Hemisphere distribution including: southern Appalachian region of eastern North America (center of diversity for S. cavicolens); Pyrenees and Alps in Europe; Wales (United Kingdom) where S. viscayanum has been recorded; Altai Mountains and Katunsky Reserve in South Siberia, Russia.

Behavior

Males of at least some guard clutches after females depart. Females may cease egg-laying when disturbed.

Similar Taxa

TurdulisomaBoth are small, cave-associated harvestmen in temperate regions; Sabacon differs in -level placement (Sabaconidae vs. Nemastomatidae) and geographic distribution patterns.
NemastomaSimilar small-bodied harvestmen of Nemastomatidae; Sabacon is distinguished by family-level characters and typically more elongate body form.