Photo Details
November 15, 2004 - Taylorsville, Salt Lake County, Utah  - ©CLDavis

Family tree
Aracjmoda Opiliones/phalangiidae

Other
Opiliones are commonly called shepherd spiders, harvest spiders or harvestmen. 'Opilio' in Latin means shepherd and the name is probably derived from the fact that in earlier times, European shepherds sometimes walked on stilts to observe their flocks better and Opiliones look as if they are on stilts when walking. The term harvestmen or harvest spiders was a result of them being seen only during harvesting time. They are also referred to as daddy long legs but should not be confused with similarly named spiders, the Pholcidae. Opiliones are not spiders and have no spinning organs, fangs or venom glands and are harmless to man.
The head and thorax are not separated by narrow constriction as with spiders. They have round bulbous bodies and very long legs and generally small (bodies up to about 7 mm long). Their colors provide protection from predators but should they be attacked, they are usually able to repel the attacker with a repugnant secretion from odiferous glands.

reference: Iziko Museums of Cape Town