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Home » Guide » Arthropods (Arthropoda) » Hexapods (Hexapoda) » Insects (Insecta) » Flies (Diptera) » "Nematocera" (Non-Brachycera) » Crane Flies (Tipulomorpha) » Large Crane Flies (Tipulidae)

Family Tipulidae - Large Crane Flies

Classification · Explanation of Names · Numbers · Identification · Range · Food · Life Cycle · Internet References · Works Cited

Classification

Kingdom Animalia (Animals)

Phylum Arthropoda (Arthropods)

Subphylum Hexapoda (Hexapods)

Class Insecta (Insects)

Order Diptera (Flies)

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

Infraorder Tipulomorpha (Crane Flies)

Family Tipulidae (Large Crane Flies)

Explanation of Names

Tipulidae Latreille 1802

see Tipula

common name alludes to long legs

Numbers

3 subfamilies, with >560 spp. in 12 genera in our area (80% in Tipula), >4,400 spp. in ~40 genera worldwide(1)

Identification

terminal (fourth) segment of maxillary palpus elongate, longer than first three segments combined (short or subequal to third segment in Limoniidae)

antennae usually 13-segmented (14- or 16-segmented in Limoniidae)

(per Chen Young's comment)

keys to CA spp. in(2)

Range

worldwide and throughout NA(1)

Food

Most larvae are herbivorous. Adults of many species are in fact capable of feeding when presented with sugary substances. Some are even known to gather on flowers. Others claim that many species do not feed.

Life Cycle

At some stage in their life cycle, crane flies occupy about every habitat on or under a tree.(3)

Larva, pupa, adults (♀♂)

Internet References

(4)

Works Cited

1.	Oosterbroek P. (2014) Catalogue of the craneflies of the world

2.	The crane flies of California Alexander C.P. 1967. Bull. Calif. Insect Survey 8: 1-269.

3.	Hidden Company that Trees Keep: Life from Treetops to Root Tips James B. Nardi. 2023. Princeton University Press.

4.	The Craneflies (Diptera:Tipulidae) of Pennsylvania

Contributed by Troy Bartlett on 16 February, 2004 - 12:32pm
Additional contributions by cotinis, Hannah Nendick-Mason, Beatriz Moisset, Robin McLeod, Vox Sciurorum, v belov, Marci Hess, Arturo Santos
Last updated 28 September, 2023 - 12:20pm

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