Global InformationBanksula melones information
| Banksia melones | |
|---|---|
Conservation status
| |
 Vulnerable (IUCN 2.3)[1] | |
Scientific classification 
| |
| Domain: | Eukaryota |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Arthropoda |
| Subphylum: | Chelicerata |
| Class: | Arachnida |
| Order: | Opiliones |
| Family: | Phalangodidae |
| Genus: | Banksula |
| Species: | B. melones
|
| Binomial name | |
| Banksula melones Briggs, 1974
| |
Banksula melones is a species of harvestman in family Phalangodidae. It is endemic to caves along the Stanislaus River of California, United States.
This, with a body size of only slightly more than 2 mm, minute harvestman lives only in caves. Its body is colored yellowish-orange, with white to yellowish white appendages. It appears in the same caves as Banksula grahami, which is slightly smaller and has no well-developed eyes. In fact, B. melones has the best eyes in the whole genus, except for B. incredula, which is the only species that does not inhabit caves. B. melones has been occasionally found near cave openings.
When disturbed, they tend to remain motionless for up to several minutes. They can probably live for several years, which is quite long for a harvestman, with molts occurring only every several months. They have been shown to survive without food for up to 43 days (Rudolph, 1979). They prey on very small arthropods, preferring springtails over booklice.
- ^ World Conservation Monitoring Centre (1996). "Banksula melones". IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. 1996: e.T2548A9452252. doi:10.2305/IUCN.UK.1996.RLTS.T2548A9452252.en. Retrieved 17 November 2021.