Why are daddy longlegs not considered to be spiders?

purrrr

There are daddy longlegs spiders, but the ones in North America commonly known as daddy longlegs are harvestmen. "Opiliones (better known as "harvestmen") are arachnids which are harmless to people and are known for their exceptionally long walking legs, compared to their body size. The difference between harvestmen and spiders is that in harvestmen the two main body sections (the abdomen with ten segments and cephalothorax, or prosoma and opisthosoma) are nearly joined, so that they appear to be one oval structure" http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Arachnid Aug 21 07, 2:59 PM

zbeckabee

The Pholcidae are a spider family in the suborder Araneomorphae and are known as daddy long-legs spider, daddy long-legger, granddaddy long-legs spider, cellar spider, vibrating spider, or house spider. Confusion often arises because the name "daddy longlegs" is also applied to the spider as well as two distantly related arthropod groups: the harvestmen (which are arachnids but not spiders), and crane flies (which are insects). http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Daddy_long-legs_spider http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Daddy_longlegs Aug 21 07, 3:22 PM

Baloo55th

To make a point here - in the UK a daddy-longlegs is an insect with six legs otherwise called the crane fly. It would definitely not be considered a spider under any circumstances. Aug 22 07, 2:52 PM