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Home » Guide » Arthropods (Arthropoda) » Hexapods (Hexapoda) » Insects (Insecta) » Flies (Diptera) » "Nematocera" (Non-Brachycera) » Crane Flies (Tipulomorpha) » Large Crane Flies (Tipulidae) » Tipulinae » Tipula » subgenus Lunatipula (Tipula subgenus Lunatipula)
Photo#125792
Crane Fly - Tipula - female
Copyright © 2007 Stephen Luk

Crane Fly - Tipula - Female
Richmond Hill, York Region, Ontario, Canada
July 7, 2007
Size: 20 mm
At light at side of building. My guess is: Tipula, subgenus Lunatipula. Not certain of species ... is there a way to determine species of this genus from females alone? Or is that possible only by identifying the associated males?

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Crane Fly - Tipula - female Crane Fly - Tipula - female Crane Fly - Tipula - female
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Contributed by Stephen Luk on 9 July, 2007 - 6:20pm
Last updated 10 July, 2007 - 1:09pm

Moved
Moved from Crane Flies.
… Chen Young, 10 July, 2007 - 1:09pm login or register to post comments

It is very difficult to determine
the species of female crane fly at this time. It is largely because most of the keys are based on the visible diversed characters of male genitalia. This situation may change should some one carry out a study to separate the species based on female characters. It just happen here that you got a female that belongs to a group of crane flies that the female ovipositor is more flesh shape instead of pointed. There are 5-6 species in this group that may occur in your area: Tipula bicornis, T. johnsoniana, T. megaura, T. morrisoni, T. parshleyi, and maybe T. rossmani (see PA crane flies for some of these species). Other than species with distinct wing patterns or body color, you would need an associated male to determine most of the female to species level. - Chen
… Chen Young, 10 July, 2007 - 1:08pm login or register to post comments

 
Thank you!
Chen, thanks for the ID and very informative answer, I greatly appreciate it. I guess I'll have to look for an associated male of this species if I want to take this identification any further.
… Stephen Luk, 10 July, 2007 - 1:17pm login or register to post comments

 
Good luck Stephen
and I am snxious to know the identity of this female as well. Males of this group tend to have enlarged genitalia. - Chen
… Chen Young, 10 July, 2007 - 1:30pm login or register to post comments

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