Crane fly is a common name referring to any member of the insect
family
Family (from la, familia) is a group of people related either by consanguinity (by recognized birth) or affinity (by marriage or other relationship). The purpose of the family is to maintain the well-being of its members and of society. Idea ...
Tipulidae.
Cylindrotominae
The Cylindrotominae are a subfamily from the family Cylindrotomidae. These flies are closely related to true crane flies.
Genera
*'' Cylindrotoma'' Macquart, 1834
*'' Diogma'' Edwards Edwards may refer to:
People
* Edwards (surname)
* Edwa ...
,
Limoniinae
The Limoniinae are a paraphyletic assemblage of genera within the crane flies, Tipulidae, although they can usually be distinguished by the way the wings are held at rest. Limoniines usually hold/fold the wings along the back of the body, whereas ...
, and
Pediciinae
The Pediciinae are a subfamily of flies in the family Pediciidae, closely related to Tipulidae (true craneflies). There are about 450 species worldwide.
Genera
*'' Dicranota'' Zetterstedt, 1838
*'' Heterangaeus'' Alexander, 1925
*'' Malaisemyia ...
have been ranked as subfamilies of Tipulidae by most authors, though occasionally elevated to family rank. In the most recent classifications, only
Pediciidae
The Pediciidae or hairy-eyed craneflies are a family of flies closely related to true crane flies, with about 500 species worldwide.
Description
For terms see Morphology of Diptera.
Pediciidae are medium-sized to large (5 mm., ''Dicrano ...
is now ranked as a separate family, due to considerations of
paraphyly.
In colloquial speech, crane flies are sometimes known as "mosquito hawks",
"skeeter-eater", or "daddy longlegs", (a term also used to describe
opiliones
The Opiliones (formerly Phalangida) are an order of arachnids colloquially known as harvestmen, harvesters, harvest spiders, or daddy longlegs. , over 6,650 species of harvestmen have been discovered worldwide, although the total number of ext ...
(harvestmen) and members of the spider family
Pholcidae
The Pholcidae are a family of araneomorph spiders. The family contains over 1,800 individual species of pholcids, including those commonly known as cellar spider, daddy long-legs spider, carpenter spider, daddy long-legger, vibrating spid ...
, both of which are arachnids). The
larva
A larva (; plural larvae ) is a distinct juvenile form many animals undergo before metamorphosis into adults. Animals with indirect development such as insects, amphibians, or cnidarians typically have a larval phase of their life cycle.
...
e of crane flies are known commonly as leatherjackets.
Crown group crane flies have existed since at least the
Barremian
The Barremian is an age in the geologic timescale (or a chronostratigraphic stage) between 129.4 ± 1.5 Ma (million years ago) and 121.4 ± 1.0 Ma). It is a subdivision of the Early Cretaceous Epoch (or Lower Cretaceous Series). It is precede ...
stage
Stage or stages may refer to:
Acting
* Stage (theatre), a space for the performance of theatrical productions
* Theatre, a branch of the performing arts, often referred to as "the stage"
* ''The Stage'', a weekly British theatre newspaper
* Sta ...
of the
Early Cretaceous and
are found worldwide, though individual species usually have limited ranges. They are most diverse in the
tropics
The tropics are the regions of Earth surrounding the Equator. They are defined in latitude by the Tropic of Cancer in the Northern Hemisphere at N and the Tropic of Capricorn in
the Southern Hemisphere at S. The tropics are also referr ...
but are also common in northern latitudes and high elevations.
Tipulidae is one of the largest groups of flies, including over 15,000 species and subspecies in 525
genera and subgenera.
Most crane flies were described by the
entomologist Charles Paul Alexander
Charles Paul Alexander (September 25, 1889, Gloversville, New York - December 3, 1981) was an American entomologist who specialized in the craneflies, Tipulidae.
Charles Paul Alexander was the son of Emil Alexander and Jane Alexander (née Parke ...
, a fly specialist, in over 1000
research publications.
[Oosterbroek, P]
Superfamily Tipuloidea, Family Tipulidae.
Chapter 2 In: Evenhuis, N. L. (Ed.) ''Catalog of the Diptera of the Australasian and Oceanian Regions'', Issue 86 of Bernice P. Bishop Museum Special Publication. Apollo Press. 1989.
Description
Summary
An adult crane fly, resembling an oversized male
mosquito
Mosquitoes (or mosquitos) are members of a group of almost 3,600 species of small flies within the family Culicidae (from the Latin ''culex'' meaning " gnat"). The word "mosquito" (formed by ''mosca'' and diminutive ''-ito'') is Spanish for "li ...
, typically has a slender body and
stilt-like legs that are deciduous, easily coming off the body. The
wingspan
The wingspan (or just span) of a bird or an airplane is the distance from one wingtip to the other wingtip. For example, the Boeing 777–200 has a wingspan of , and a wandering albatross (''Diomedea exulans'') caught in 1965 had a wingspan o ...
is generally about , though some species of ''
Holorusia
''Holorusia'' is a genus of true crane fly, including the largest known crane fly species, '' Holorusia mikado''.
Biology
The larvae are aquatic.
Distribution
Asia & Australasia.
Species
*'' H. aberrans'' (Alexander, 1920)
*'' H. agni'' Ale ...
'' can reach . The
antennae have up to 19 segments.
[Watson, L. and M. J. Dallwitz. 2003 onwards]
Tipulidae.
British Insects: The Families of Diptera. Version: 1 January 2012. It is also characterized by a V-shaped suture or groove on the back of the
thorax
The thorax or chest is a part of the anatomy of humans, mammals, and other tetrapod animals located between the neck and the abdomen. In insects, crustaceans, and the extinct trilobites, the thorax is one of the three main divisions of the cre ...
(mesonotum) and by its wing venation.
The
rostrum
Rostrum may refer to:
* Any kind of a platform for a speaker:
**dais
**pulpit
* Rostrum (anatomy), a beak, or anatomical structure resembling a beak, as in the mouthparts of many sucking insects
* Rostrum (ship), a form of bow on naval ships
* Ros ...
is long and in some species as long as the head and thorax together.
Formal
Tipulidae are medium to large-sized flies () with elongated legs, wings, and abdomen. Their colour is yellow, brown or grey.
Ocelli
A simple eye (sometimes called a pigment pit) refers to a form of eye or an optical arrangement composed of a single lens and without an elaborate retina such as occurs in most vertebrates. In this sense "simple eye" is distinct from a multi-l ...
are absent. The rostrum (a snout) is short to very short with a beak-like point called the nasus (rarely absent). The apical segment of the maxillary palpi is flagelliform and much longer than the subapical segment. The antennae have 13 segments (exceptionally 14–19). These are whorled, serrate, or ctenidial. There is a distinct V-shaped suture between the mesonotal prescutum and scutum (near the level of the wing bases). The wings are monochromatic, longitudinally striped or marbled. In females the wings are sometimes rudimentary. The sub-costal vein (Sc) joins through Sc2 with the radial vein, Sc1 is at most a short stump. There are four, rarely (when R2 is reduced) three branches of the radial vein merging into the alar margin. The discoidal wing cell is usually present. The wing has two anal veins. Sternite 9 of the male genitalia has, with few exceptions, two pairs of appendages. Sometimes appendages are also present on sternite 8. The female ovipositor has sclerotized valves and the cerci have a smooth or dentate lower margin. The valves are sometimes modified into thick bristles or short teeth.
The larva is elongated, usually cylindrical. The posterior two-thirds of the head capsule is enclosed or retracted within the prothoracic segment. The larva is metapneustic (with only one pair of
spiracles, these on the anal segment of the abdomen), but often with vestigial lateral spiracles (rarely apneustic). The head capsule is sclerotized anteriorly and deeply incised ventrally and often dorsolaterally. The mandibles are opposed and move in the horizontal or oblique plane. The abdominal segments have transverse creeping welts. The terminal segments of the abdomen are glabrous, often partially sclerotized and bearing posterior spiracles. The spiracular disc is usually surrounded by lobe-like projections and anal papillae or lobes.
Biology
The adult female usually contains mature eggs as she emerges from her
pupa
A pupa ( la, pupa, "doll"; plural: ''pupae'') is the life stage of some insects undergoing transformation between immature and mature stages. Insects that go through a pupal stage are holometabolous: they go through four distinct stages in thei ...
, and often mates immediately if a male is available. Males also search for females by walking or flying. Copulation takes a few minutes to hours and may be accomplished in flight. Adults have a lifespan of 10 to 15 days. The female immediately
oviposits, usually in wet soil or mats of
algae. Some lay eggs on the surface of a water body or in dry soils, and some reportedly simply drop them in flight. Most crane fly eggs are black in color. They often have a filament, which may help anchor the egg in wet or aquatic environments.
Crane fly larvae (leatherjackets) have been observed in many habitat types on dry land and in water,
including
marine,
brackish
Brackish water, sometimes termed brack water, is water occurring in a natural environment that has more salinity than freshwater, but not as much as seawater. It may result from mixing seawater (salt water) and fresh water together, as in estu ...
, and
fresh water.
They are cylindrical in shape, but taper toward the front end, and the head capsule is often retracted into the thorax. The abdomen may be smooth, lined with hairs, or studded with projections or welt-like spots. Projections may occur around the spiracles.
Larvae may eat algae, microflora, and living or decomposing plant matter, including wood. Some are predatory.
Ecology
Larval habitats include all kinds of freshwater, semiaquatic environments. Some Tipulinae, including ''Dolichopeza'', are found in moist to wet cushions of mosses or liverworts. ''Ctenophora'' species are found in decaying wood or sodden logs. ''Nephrotoma'' and ''Tipula'' larvae are found in dry soils of pasturelands, lawns, and steppe. Tipulidae larvae are also found in rich organic earth and mud, in wet spots in woods where the humus is saturated, in leaf litter or mud, decaying plant materials, or fruits in various stages of putrefaction.
Larvae can be important in the soil ecosystem, because they process organic material and increase microbial activity.
Larvae and adults are also valuable prey items for many animals, including insects,
spider
Spiders ( order Araneae) are air-breathing arthropods that have eight legs, chelicerae with fangs generally able to inject venom, and spinnerets that extrude silk. They are the largest order of arachnids and rank seventh in total species ...
s,
fish
Fish are aquatic, craniate, gill-bearing animals that lack limbs with digits. Included in this definition are the living hagfish, lampreys, and cartilaginous and bony fish as well as various extinct related groups. Approximately 95% of ...
,
amphibians,
bird
Birds are a group of warm-blooded vertebrates constituting the class Aves (), characterised by feathers, toothless beaked jaws, the laying of hard-shelled eggs, a high metabolic rate, a four-chambered heart, and a strong yet lightweig ...
s, and
mammals.
Adult crane flies may be used for transport by aquatic species of the
mite
Mites are small arachnids (eight-legged arthropods). Mites span two large orders of arachnids, the Acariformes and the Parasitiformes, which were historically grouped together in the subclass Acari, but genetic analysis does not show clear e ...
family
Ascidae
Ascidae is a family of mites in the order Mesostigmata.
Description
Ascidae are mites characterised by: seta ''st4'' usually on unsclerotised cuticle, peritrematic shield broadly connected to exopodal shield beside coxa IV, fixed cheliceral ...
. This is known as
phoresis
Phoresis or phoresy is a non-permanent, commensalistic interaction in which one organism (a phoront or phoretic) attaches itself to another (the host) solely for the purpose of travel. Phoresis has been observed directly in ticks and mites s ...
.
Pest status
The European crane fly, ''
Tipula paludosa
''Tipula paludosa'' is a species of true craneflies, family Tipulidae. It is also known as the European crane fly or the marsh crane fly. It is a pest in grasslands of Northwest Europe and has been accidentally introduced to North America.
Distr ...
'' and the marsh crane fly ''
T. oleracea'' are agricultural pests in Europe. Crane fly larvae of economic importance live in the top layers of soil where they feed on the
roots
A root is the part of a plant, generally underground, that anchors the plant body, and absorbs and stores water and nutrients.
Root or roots may also refer to:
Art, entertainment, and media
* ''The Root'' (magazine), an online magazine focusing ...
,
root hairs, crown, and sometimes the leaves of crops, stunting their growth or killing the plants. They are pests on a variety of commodities. Since the late 1900s, ''T. paludosa'' and ''T. oleracea'' have become
invasive in the United States. The larvae have been observed on many crops, including vegetables, fruits, cereals, pasture, lawn grasses, and
ornamental plant
Ornamental plants or garden plants are plants that are primarily grown for their beauty but also for qualities such as scent or how they shape physical space. Many flowering plants and garden varieties tend to be specially bred cultivars that ...
s.
In 1935,
Lord's Cricket Ground in London was among venues affected by leatherjackets. Several thousand were collected by ground staff and burned, because they caused bald patches on the
pitch and the pitch took unaccustomed spin for much of the season.
Phylogenetics
The phylogenetic position of the Tipulidae remains uncertain. The classical viewpoint that they are an early branch of Diptera—perhaps (with the
Trichoceridae) the
sister group of all other Diptera—is giving way to modern views that they are more highly derived. This is thanks to evidence from molecular studies, which is consistent with the more
derived larval characters similar to those of 'higher' Diptera. The
Pediciidae
The Pediciidae or hairy-eyed craneflies are a family of flies closely related to true crane flies, with about 500 species worldwide.
Description
For terms see Morphology of Diptera.
Pediciidae are medium-sized to large (5 mm., ''Dicrano ...
and Tipulidae are sister groups (the "limoniids" are a paraphyletic
clade).
Specifically,
Limoniinae
The Limoniinae are a paraphyletic assemblage of genera within the crane flies, Tipulidae, although they can usually be distinguished by the way the wings are held at rest. Limoniines usually hold/fold the wings along the back of the body, whereas ...
has recently been treated by numerous authors at the rank of family, but subsequent
phylogenetic
In biology, phylogenetics (; from Greek φυλή/ φῦλον [] "tribe, clan, race", and wikt:γενετικός, γενετικός [] "origin, source, birth") is the study of the evolutionary history and relationships among or within groups o ...
analyses revealed that the remaining groups of tipulids render the group
paraphyletic.
The
Cylindrotominae
The Cylindrotominae are a subfamily from the family Cylindrotomidae. These flies are closely related to true crane flies.
Genera
*'' Cylindrotoma'' Macquart, 1834
*'' Diogma'' Edwards Edwards may refer to:
People
* Edwards (surname)
* Edwa ...
appear to be a relict group that was much better represented in the
Tertiary
Tertiary ( ) is a widely used but obsolete term for the geologic period from 66 million to 2.6 million years ago.
The period began with the demise of the non-avian dinosaurs in the Cretaceous–Paleogene extinction event, at the start ...
. Tipulidae probably evolved from ancestors in the Upper
Jurassic
The Jurassic ( ) is a geologic period and stratigraphic system that spanned from the end of the Triassic Period million years ago (Mya) to the beginning of the Cretaceous Period, approximately Mya. The Jurassic constitutes the middle period of ...
, the Architipulidae, and representatives of the
Limoniinae
The Limoniinae are a paraphyletic assemblage of genera within the crane flies, Tipulidae, although they can usually be distinguished by the way the wings are held at rest. Limoniines usually hold/fold the wings along the back of the body, whereas ...
are known from the
Upper Triassic
The Late Triassic is the third and final epoch of the Triassic Period in the geologic time scale, spanning the time between Ma and Ma (million years ago). It is preceded by the Middle Triassic Epoch and followed by the Early Jurassic Epoch. ...
.
Genera
* Subfamily
Ctenophorinae
** ''
Ctenophora
Ctenophora (; ctenophore ; ) comprise a phylum of marine invertebrates, commonly known as comb jellies, that inhabit sea waters worldwide. They are notable for the groups of cilia they use for swimming (commonly referred to as "combs"), and ...
''
Meigen, 1803
** ''
Dictenidia
''Dictenidia'' is a genus of Tipulidae, true crane flies.
Species
*''Dictenidia bimaculata, D. bimaculata'' (Carl Linnaeus, Linnaeus, 1760)
*''Dictenidia formosana, D. formosana'' Charles Paul Alexander, Alexander, 1920
*''Dictenidia glabrata, D. ...
''
Brulle, 1833
** ''
Phoroctenia''
Coquillett, 1910
** ''
Pselliophora''
Osten Sacken, 1887
** ''
Tanyptera
''Tanyptera'' is a genus of true crane flies; its species are lustrous and black and yellow or red in color. They resemble some Ichneumonidae. Segments of the flagella of males have three outgrowths each (two lower paired and the upper one unpa ...
''
Latreille, 1804
* Subfamily
Cylindrotominae
The Cylindrotominae are a subfamily from the family Cylindrotomidae. These flies are closely related to true crane flies.
Genera
*'' Cylindrotoma'' Macquart, 1834
*'' Diogma'' Edwards Edwards may refer to:
People
* Edwards (surname)
* Edwa ...
** ''
Cylindrotoma
''Cylindrotoma'' is a genus of crane fly in the family Cylindrotomidae.
Biology
The larvae of the genus ''Cylindrotoma'' live on various flowering plants. Adults are to be found in damp wooded habitats.
Distribution
Asia, North America & Europ ...
''
Macquart, 1834
** ''
Diogma
''Diogma'' is a genus of crane flies in the family Cylindrotomidae.
Biology
The larvae of the genus ''Diogma'' live on mosses. Adults are to be found in damp wooded habitats.
Distribution
Palaearctic.
Species
*'' D. brevifurca'' Alexander, 194 ...
''
Edwards, 1938
** ''
Liogma
''Liogma'' is a genus of crane fly in the family Cylindrotomidae.
Biology
The larvae of the genus ''Liogma'' live on mosses. Adults are to be found in damp wooded habitats.
Distribution
Canada, United States, China, Russian Far East, Japan, Tai ...
''
Osten Sacken, 1869
** ''
Phalacrocera
''Phalacrocera'' is a genus of crane fly in the family Cylindrotominae.
Biology
The larvae of the genus ''Phalacrocera'' live on mosses. Adults are to be found in damp wooded habitats.
Distribution
Canada, United States, Myanmar, Taiwan, India, ...
''
Schiner, 1863
** ''
Stibadocera
''Stibadocera'' is a genus of crane fly in the family Cylindrotomidae. ''Stibadocera'' are unusual for crane flies in that the males have very long antenna, sometimes as long as the body. Most species are very small (6–10 mm).
Biology
The ...
''
Enderlein, 1912
** ''
Stibadocerella
''Stibadocerella'' is a genus of crane fly in the family Cylindrotomidae.
Biology
The larvae of the genus ''Stibadocerella'' live on mosses. Adults are to be found in damp wooded habitats.
Distribution
Taiwan, China, Indonesia, Malaysia, India. ...
''
Brunetti, 1918
** ''
Stibadocerina
''Stibadocerina'' is a genus of crane fly in the family Cylindrotomidae.
Biology
The larvae of the genus ''Stibadocerina'' live on mosses. Adults are to be found in damp wooded habitats.
Distribution
Chile.
Species
*'' S. chilensis'' Alexander ...
''
Alexander
Alexander is a male given name. The most prominent bearer of the name is Alexander the Great, the king of the Ancient Greek kingdom of Macedonia who created one of the largest empires in ancient history.
Variants listed here are Aleksandar, Al ...
, 1929
** ''
Stibadocerodes
''Stibadocerodes'' is a genus of Tipuloidea, crane fly in the family Cylindrotomidae.
Biology
The larvae of the genus ''Stibadocerodes'' live on mosses. Adults are to be found in damp wooded habitats.
Distribution
Australia.
Species
*''Stibado ...
''
Alexander
Alexander is a male given name. The most prominent bearer of the name is Alexander the Great, the king of the Ancient Greek kingdom of Macedonia who created one of the largest empires in ancient history.
Variants listed here are Aleksandar, Al ...
, 1928
** ''
Triogma
''Triogma'' is a genus of crane fly in the family Cylindrotomidae.
Biology
The larvae of the genus ''Triogma'' live on mosses. Adults are to be found in damp wooded habitats.
Distribution
Canada, Northern United States, Japan, China & Northern ...
''
Schiner, 1863
* Subfamily
Dolichopezinae
** ''
Dolichopeza''
Curtis
Curtis or Curtiss is a common English given name and surname of Anglo-Norman origin from the Old French ''curteis'' ( Modern French ''courtois'') which derived from the Spanish Cortés (of which Cortez is a variation) and the Portuguese and Ga ...
, 1825
* Subfamily
Limoniinae
The Limoniinae are a paraphyletic assemblage of genera within the crane flies, Tipulidae, although they can usually be distinguished by the way the wings are held at rest. Limoniines usually hold/fold the wings along the back of the body, whereas ...
** see
List of Limoniine genera
* Subfamily
Tipulinae
Tipulinae is a subfamily of crane flies. It contains the typical crane flies from the genus ''Tipula''.
Genera
*'' Acracantha'' Skuse, 1890
*'' Angarotipula'' Savchenko, 1961
*'' Austrotipula'' Alexander, 1920
*'' Brachypremna'' Osten Sacken ...
** ''
Acracantha''
Skuse, 1890
** ''
Angarotipula''
Savchenko, 1961
** ''
Austrotipula''
Alexander
Alexander is a male given name. The most prominent bearer of the name is Alexander the Great, the king of the Ancient Greek kingdom of Macedonia who created one of the largest empires in ancient history.
Variants listed here are Aleksandar, Al ...
, 1920
** ''
Brachypremna''
Osten Sacken, 1887
** ''
Brithura''
Edwards, 1916
** ''
Clytocosmus
''Clytocosmus'' is a genus of true crane fly.
Distribution
Australia.
Species
*'' C. alexanderi'' Dobrotworsky, 1968
*'' C. edwardsi'' Alexander, 1922
*'' C. helmsi'' Skuse, 1890
*'' C. lichtwardti'' Riedel, 1920
*'' C. nichollsi'' Paramono ...
''
Skuse, 1890
** ''
Elnoretta''
Alexander
Alexander is a male given name. The most prominent bearer of the name is Alexander the Great, the king of the Ancient Greek kingdom of Macedonia who created one of the largest empires in ancient history.
Variants listed here are Aleksandar, Al ...
, 1929
** ''
Euvaldiviana''
Alexander
Alexander is a male given name. The most prominent bearer of the name is Alexander the Great, the king of the Ancient Greek kingdom of Macedonia who created one of the largest empires in ancient history.
Variants listed here are Aleksandar, Al ...
, 1981
** ''
Goniotipula''
Alexander
Alexander is a male given name. The most prominent bearer of the name is Alexander the Great, the king of the Ancient Greek kingdom of Macedonia who created one of the largest empires in ancient history.
Variants listed here are Aleksandar, Al ...
, 1921
** ''
Holorusia
''Holorusia'' is a genus of true crane fly, including the largest known crane fly species, '' Holorusia mikado''.
Biology
The larvae are aquatic.
Distribution
Asia & Australasia.
Species
*'' H. aberrans'' (Alexander, 1920)
*'' H. agni'' Ale ...
''
Loew, 1863
** ''
Hovapeza
''Hovapeza'' is a genus of true crane fly.
Distribution
Madagascar
Species
*'' H. costofuscata'' Alexander, 1958
*'' H. tisiphone'' (Alexander
Alexander is a male given name. The most prominent bearer of the name is Alexander the Great, th ...
''
Alexander
Alexander is a male given name. The most prominent bearer of the name is Alexander the Great, the king of the Ancient Greek kingdom of Macedonia who created one of the largest empires in ancient history.
Variants listed here are Aleksandar, Al ...
, 1951
** ''
Hovatipula''
Alexander
Alexander is a male given name. The most prominent bearer of the name is Alexander the Great, the king of the Ancient Greek kingdom of Macedonia who created one of the largest empires in ancient history.
Variants listed here are Aleksandar, Al ...
, 1955
** ''
Idiotipula''
Alexander
Alexander is a male given name. The most prominent bearer of the name is Alexander the Great, the king of the Ancient Greek kingdom of Macedonia who created one of the largest empires in ancient history.
Variants listed here are Aleksandar, Al ...
, 1921
** ''
Indotipula''
Edwards, 1931
** ''
Ischnotoma''
Skuse, 1890
** ''
Keiseromyia
''Keiseromyia'' is a genus of true crane fly.
Distribution
Madagascar
Species
*'' K. polyphragma'' Alexander
Alexander is a male given name. The most prominent bearer of the name is Alexander the Great, the king of the Ancient Greek kingdo ...
''
Alexander
Alexander is a male given name. The most prominent bearer of the name is Alexander the Great, the king of the Ancient Greek kingdom of Macedonia who created one of the largest empires in ancient history.
Variants listed here are Aleksandar, Al ...
, 1963
** ''
Leptotarsus''
Guerin-Meneville, 1831
** ''
Macgregoromyia''
Alexander
Alexander is a male given name. The most prominent bearer of the name is Alexander the Great, the king of the Ancient Greek kingdom of Macedonia who created one of the largest empires in ancient history.
Variants listed here are Aleksandar, Al ...
, 1929
** ''
Megistocera
''Megistocera'' is a genus of true crane fly.
Distribution
Angola, Argentina, Australia, Benin, Bolivia, Brazil, Congo, Cuba, Dominican Republic, Guinea, Guyana, Haiti, India, Indonesia, Jamaica, Madagascar, Malawi, Malaysia, Mozambique, ...
''
Wiedemann, 1828
** ''
Nephrotoma''
Meigen, 1803
** ''
Nigrotipula''
Hudson & Vane-Wright, 1969
** ''
Ozodicera''
Macquart, 1834
** ''
Platyphasia''
Skuse, 1890
** ''
Prionocera''
Loew, 1844
** ''
Prionota''
van der Wulp, 1885
** ''
Ptilogyna''
Westwood, 1835
** ''
Scamboneura''
Osten Sacken, 1882
** ''
Sphaerionotus''
de Meijere, 1919
** ''
Tipula
''Tipula'' is a very large insect genus in the fly family Tipulidae (crane flies). The members of this genus are sometimes collectively called common crane flies. ''Tipula'' contains over 2,000 species located throughout the world.
Like all cra ...
''
Linnaeus
Carl Linnaeus (; 23 May 1707 – 10 January 1778), also known after his ennoblement in 1761 as Carl von Linné Blunt (2004), p. 171. (), was a Swedish botanist, zoologist, taxonomist, and physician who formalised binomial nomenclature, the ...
, 1758
** ''
Tipulodina''
Enderlein, 1912
** ''
Valdiviana''
Alexander
Alexander is a male given name. The most prominent bearer of the name is Alexander the Great, the king of the Ancient Greek kingdom of Macedonia who created one of the largest empires in ancient history.
Variants listed here are Aleksandar, Al ...
, 1929
** ''
Zelandotipula''
Alexander
Alexander is a male given name. The most prominent bearer of the name is Alexander the Great, the king of the Ancient Greek kingdom of Macedonia who created one of the largest empires in ancient history.
Variants listed here are Aleksandar, Al ...
, 1922
Common names
Numerous other common names have been applied to the crane fly. Many of the names are more or less regional in the U.S., including mosquito hawk, mosquito eater, gallinipper, and gollywhopper.
They are also known as "daddy longlegs" in English-speaking countries outside of the U.S.,
not to be confused with the U.S. usages of "daddy long legs" that refer to either
arachnid
Arachnida () is a class of joint-legged invertebrate animals (arthropods), in the subphylum Chelicerata. Arachnida includes, among others, spiders, scorpions, ticks, mites, pseudoscorpions, harvestmen, camel spiders, whip spiders and vinegar ...
s of the order
Opiliones
The Opiliones (formerly Phalangida) are an order of arachnids colloquially known as harvestmen, harvesters, harvest spiders, or daddy longlegs. , over 6,650 species of harvestmen have been discovered worldwide, although the total number of ext ...
or the family
Pholcidae
The Pholcidae are a family of araneomorph spiders. The family contains over 1,800 individual species of pholcids, including those commonly known as cellar spider, daddy long-legs spider, carpenter spider, daddy long-legger, vibrating spid ...
. The
larva
A larva (; plural larvae ) is a distinct juvenile form many animals undergo before metamorphosis into adults. Animals with indirect development such as insects, amphibians, or cnidarians typically have a larval phase of their life cycle.
...
e of crane flies are known commonly as leatherjackets.
They are also known as ''Jenny long legs'' in Scotland.
[Is the UK really seeing a record daddy long legs invasion? by Helena Horton](_blank)
The Guardian
''The Guardian'' is a British daily newspaper. It was founded in 1821 as ''The Manchester Guardian'', and changed its name in 1959. Along with its sister papers ''The Observer'' and ''The Guardian Weekly'', ''The Guardian'' is part of the Gu ...
, 22 September 2021 In Ireland they are also known as ''Skinny Philip'', and as ''Pilib an Gheataire'' in
Gaelic (''Gaeilge'').
Misconceptions
There is an enduring
urban legend
An urban legend (sometimes contemporary legend, modern legend, urban myth, or urban tale) is a genre of folklore comprising stories or fallacious claims circulated as true, especially as having happened to a "friend of a friend" or a family m ...
that crane flies are the most venomous insects in the world, but have no ability to administer the venom; this is not true.
[Could record 200 billion daddy-long-legs hit UK?]
- Newsround, CBBC
CBBC (initialised as Children's BBC and also known as the CBBC Channel) is a British free-to-air Public service broadcasting in the United Kingdom, public broadcast children's television channel owned and operated by the BBC. It is also the bran ...
, 8 September 2016. The myth likely arose due to their being confused with the
cellar spider as they are also informally called "daddy longlegs", and although the arachnid
does possess venom, it is not especially potent.
Debunked: Are Daddy Longlegs the most poisonous spiders in the world?
- TheJournal.ie
''TheJournal.ie'' is an internet publication in Ireland. It was a mixture of original and aggregated content, before moving to entirely original content. The website was founded in early 2010.
It was edited by Jennifer O'Connell in 2010–2011, ...
, 20 October 2013.
Despite widely held beliefs that adult crane flies (or "mosquito hawks") prey on mosquito populations, the adult crane fly is anatomically incapable of killing or consuming other insects. Although the adults of some species may feed on nectar, the adults of many species have such short lifespans that they do not eat at all.
See also
* ''Tipularia discolor
''Tipularia discolor'', the crippled cranefly or crane-fly orchid, is a perennial terrestrial woodland orchid, a member of the family Orchidaceae. It is the only species of the genus '' Tipularia'' found in North America. It occurs in the southe ...
'', the crane fly orchid
References
Further reading
; Identification
* Pierre C.,1924, Diptères: Tipulidae ''Faune de France'' n°
Bibliotheque Virtuelle Numerique
Out of date but online at no cost. In French.
* R. L. Coe, Paul Freeman & P. F. Mattingly Nematocera: families Tipulidae to Chironomidae (Tipulidae). ''Handbooks for the Identification of British Insects
''Handbooks for the Identification of British Insects'' is a series of books produced by the Royal Entomological Society (RES). The aim of the Handbooks is to provide illustrated identification keys to the insects of Britain, together with concise ...
'' Vol 9 Part 2 i
pdf
download manual Out of date but online at no cost
* J.F. McAlpine, B.V. Petersen, G.E. Shewell, H.J. Teskey, J.R. Vockeroth, D.M. Wood. Eds. 1987 Manual of Nearctic Diptera Volume 1 Research Branch Agriculture Canada, 198
pdf
key to Nearctic genera
* E. N. Savchenko Family Tipulidae in Bei-Bienko, G. Ya, 1988 ''Keys to the insects of the European Part of the USSR'' Volume 5 (Diptera) Part 2 English edition. Keys to Palaearctic species but now needs revision.
External links
Ohioline.osu.edu
Ohio State University Fact Sheet
Family Tipulidae at EOL
IZ.carnegiemnh.org
Crane Flies of Pennsylvania, Extensive Specimen Collection, Carnegie Museum of Natural History
NLBIF.eti.uva.nl
Catalog of Craneflies of the World
Diptera.info
Image Gallery
BugGuide.net
photo gallery, many species
Tipulidae of Taiwan , with images under Latin binomials
Crane Fly
Field Guide to Common Texas Insects
*
Species lists
West Palaearctic including Russia
Japan
{{Authority control
Extant Late Jurassic first appearances
Taxa named by Pierre André Latreille