Family Tanyderidae - Primitive Crane Flies

Classification · Numbers · Identification · Habitat

Classification

Kingdom Animalia (Animals)

Phylum Arthropoda (Arthropods)

Class Insecta (Insects)

Order Diptera (Flies)

No Taxon ("Nematocera" (Non-Brachycera))

Infraorder Ptychopteromorpha

Family Tanyderidae (Primitive Crane Flies)

Numbers

Four species in North America, Protoplasa fitchii the only species in the east

Identification

Tanyderidae resemble crane flies. They can be differentiated from phantom crane flies by the presence of vein 3a, winter crane flies by the absence of ocelli, and crane flies by the presence of 5 R veins.

Habitat

Larval tanyderids live in the sandy soil at the margins of large streams.

Contributed by Keith Bayless on 10 March, 2007 - 8:00pm

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