Shahan Derkarabetian

@sderkarabetian.bsky.social

Opiliones. Systematics. Evolution. Curator of Invertebrate Zoology at the San Diego Natural History Museum. Sci-fi. Metal. Cyborg. deaf w CI. He/him. Opinions are mine.

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Opilioacarida! Mites that kind of look like Opiliones (hence the name). Found all over tropical and subtropical habitats worldwide, poorly studied. These were the first I've ever seen alive! From south of La Paz, Baja California Sur, Mexico. This is Neocarus bajacalifornicus.

A macro photo of a small mite, facing right. The body color is light grey. Its front pair of legs are elongate and pointing forward like antennae. It is walking on a rock.

Phrynus asperatipes from south of La Paz, Baja California Sur. This was the first amblypygid I've ever seen in the wild! Second photo is a a full body shot that shows the first pair of legs that are sensory in function and give them the name "whip scorpions"

A macro photo of an amblypygid. The photo is a closeup of the front of the body showing the face and pedipalps. The body is light tan / brown with some patches of darker pigment on the body.This photo shows the whole body. The first pair of legs are thin and antennae-like, being waved in the air. It is sitting on a rock.

One of the coolest looking spiders I saw in Queensland AUS (which is saying a lot) was this Ornodolomedes (Pisauridae) guarding her egg sac. Seen during a rainforest night walk in Crater Lakes NP. Amazing colors on this one. #Arachtober

A macro photo of a spider hanging in between a couple thin plant stems against a black background. The spider is a mix of colors, greens, browns, and yellows. Tucked underneath its legs is an egg sac.

It's #Arachtober !! To start off, this is an undescribed species in an undescribed genus of Triaenonychidae from northern Queensland, AU. We (@invertebrained and I) found only two at this site, they were a bit hard to find.

A macro photo of a spiny harvester. It is facing to the left. The body is mostly dark grey-brown, with some hints of orange towards the front. The tips of the spines turn into a more bold orange yellow color. It is sitting on a piece of wood.

During fieldwork in Tasmania earlier this year, found this velvet worm, Tasmanipatus barretti, in one of the best woodpiles I've ever looked through. Seems a little shy. A rare species, listed as vulnerable. With permit. What a pleasure seeing this. Northeastern Tasmania.

A macro photo of a velvet worm. It is a light tan/grey color, facing left. Is is on a piece of wood tucked into a little gap. The body is covered with little bumps and you can make out a very small eye.

Hello Bluesky! Do you like Opiliones? I post (mostly) Opiliones, my macro photos, and research. I’m an arachnologist, systematist, and evolutionary biologist. Expert in Opiliones. (soon to be) Curator of Entomology at the San Diego Natural History Museum. Also, Opiliones.

A macro photo of an Opiliones facing left, the view is from the side. The Opiliones is orange-yellow and brown. It is generally oddly-shaped, with large tubercles on its body and small spines on the appendages. The most striking feature is its eyemound which is rather elongate and pointing forward. It is sitting on a piece of wood and the background is black.