Opilions | OpiliƵes
- Apr 16, 2024
- 2 min read
š§š·Ā Os opiliƵes sĆ£o frequentemente confundidos com aranhas ou escorpiƵes, mas pertencem a ordens distintas, apresentando diferenƧas significativas. Enquanto as aranhas produzem teias e possuem glĆ¢ndulas de veneno, os opiliƵes se alimentam de animais e plantas vivos ou mortos, adaptando-se a ambientes escuros e Ćŗmidos.
No Brasil, sĆ£o conhecidos como bodum, aranha fedorenta, aranha alho, aranha bode ou frade fedorento devido ao odor azedo liberado por alguns, repelindo predadores. Apesar disso, nĆ£o possuem glĆ¢ndulas de veneno e sua pequena boca nĆ£o Ć© capaz de causar danos significativos a humanos ou outros animais.
Os opiliƵes desempenham um papel crucial na natureza, ajudando na decomposiĆ§Ć£o da matĆ©ria orgĆ¢nica e na reciclagem de nutrientes. AlĆ©m disso, sua presenƧa e diversidade sĆ£o indicativos da saĆŗde dos ecossistemas, sendo mais abundantes em ambientes bem preservados, como a Reserva Particular do PatrimĆ“nio Natural (RPPN) Alto da Figueira, onde surpreendem os especialistas tanto em nĆŗmero de espĆ©cies quanto de indivĆduos.
š¬š§Ā Opilions are often confused with spiders or scorpions, but they belong to different orders and have significant differences. While spiders produce webs and have venom glands, opilions feed on living or dead animals and plants, adapting to dark and humid environments.
In Brazil, they are known as bodum, stink spider, garlic spider, goat spider or stink friar due to the sour odour they give off, repelling predators. Despite this, they have no venom glands and their small mouths are not capable of causing significant harm to humans or other animals.
Opilions play a crucial role in nature, helping to decompose organic matter and recycle nutrients. In addition, their presence and diversity are indicative of the health of ecosystems, and they are more abundant in well-preserved environments, such as the Alto da Figueira Private Natural Heritage Reserve (RPPN), where they surprise experts in terms of both the number of species and individuals.
Photo: Adriano Kuri, Museu Nacional UFRJ (Discocyrtus crenulatus)