Overview
A crane fly is an insect in the family Tipulidae. Adults are very slender, long-legged flies that may vary in length from 2?60 millimetres (0.079?2.4 in) though tropical species may exceed to 100 millimetres or 3.9 inches.
In the United Kingdom, Ireland, Newfoundland and Nova Scotia they are commonly referred to as daddy longlegs, but this name can also refer to two unrelated arthropods: members of the arachnid order Opiliones (especially in the United States and Canada) and the cellar spider Pholcidae (especially in Australia). The larva of the European Crane Fly is commonly known as a leatherjacket. These larvae can cause damage to lawns by feeding on the roots of grass plants.
Numerous other common names have been applied to the crane fly, many of them more or less regional, including mosquito hawk, mosquito eater (or skeeter eater), gallinipper,1] and < b>gollywhopper.[1]
At least 4,256 species of crane flies have been described, most of them (75%) by the specialist Charles Paul Alexander. This makes Tipulidae one of the largest families of Diptera (although smaller than Limoniidae, one of the other extant families of crane flies).
Morphology
In appearance crane flies seem long and gangly, with very long legs, and a long slender abdomen. The wings are often held out when at rest, making the large halteres easily visible. Unlike most flies, crane flies are weak and poor fliers with a tendency to "wobble" in unpredictable patterns during flight, and they can be caught without much effort.
Crane flies vary in size, with temperate species ranging from 2 to 60 millimetres (0.079 to 2.4 in), while tropical species have been recorded at over 100 millimetres (3.9 in). The giant crane fly (Holorusia rubiginosa) of the western United States can reach 38 millimetres (1.5 in). Some Tipula species are 64 millimetres (2.5 in). Many smaller species (known as bobbing gnats) are mosquito-sized, but they can be distinguished from mosquitoes by the V-shaped sutur e on the thorax, nonpiercing mouthparts, and a lack of scales on the wing veins.
Female abdomens contain eggs, and as a result appear swollen in comparison to those of males. The female abdomen also ends in a pointed ovipositor that may look somewhat like a stinger, but is in fact completely harmless.
Adult mouthparts may occur on the end of the crane fly's long face, which is sometimes called a snout or a short rostrum.
Larvae have a distinct head capsule, and their abdominal segments often have long fleshy projections surrounding the posterior spiracles (almost like tentacles).
Ecology
Despite their common names, as adults, crane flies do not prey on mosquitoes, nor do they bite humans. Some larval crane flies are predatory and may eat mosquito larvae.[2] Adult crane flies feed on nectar or they do not feed at all. Once they become adults, most crane fly species exist as adults only to mate and die. Their larvae, called "leatherjackets", "leatherbacks", "leatherback bugs" or "leatherjacket slugs" because of the way they move, consume roots (such as those of turf grass) and other vegetation, in some cases causing damage to plants. The crane fly is occasionally considered a mild turf pest in some areas. In 1935, Lord's Cricket Ground in London was among the venues affected by leatherjackets: several thousand were collected by ground staff and burned, because they caused bald patches on the wicket and the pitch took unaccustomed spin for much of the season.[3]
Little is known of the juvenile biology of many crane fly species. The larvae of less than 2% of the species have been described. Of those that have been described, many prefer moist environments, and some leatherjackets are aquatic.
Genera
- Subfamily Ctenophorinae
- Subfamily Dolichopezinae
- Dolichopeza Curtis, 1825
- Subfamily Tipulinae
- Acracantha Skuse, 1890
- Angarotipula Savchenko, 1961
- Austrotipula Alexander, 1920
- Brachypremna Osten Sacken, 1887
- Brithura Edwards, 1916
- Clytocosmus Skuse, 1890
- Elnoretta Alexander, 1929
- Euvaldiviana Alexander, 1981
- Goniotipula Alexander, 1921
- Holorusia Loew, 1863
- Hovapeza Alexander, 1951
- Hovatipula Alexander, 1955
- Idiotipula
Alexander, 1921 - Indotipula Edwards, 1931
- Ischnotoma Skuse, 1890
- Keiseromyia Alexander, 1963
- Leptotarsus Guerin-Meneville, 1831
- Macgregoromyia Alexander, 1929
- Megistocera 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 Linnaeus, 1758, 1758
- Tipulodina Enderlein, 1912
- Valdiviana Alexander, 1929
- Zelandotipula Alexander, 1922
See also
- Tipularia discolor, the crane fly orchid
In appearance crane flies seem long and gangly, with very long legs, and a long slender abdomen. The wings are often held out when at rest, making the large halteres easily visible. Unlike m ost flies, crane flies are weak and poor fliers with a tendency to "wobble" in unpredictable patterns during flight, and they can be caught without much effort.
Crane flies vary in size, with temperate species ranging from 2 to 60 millimetres (0.079 to 2.4 in), while tropical species have been recorded at over 100 millimetres (3.9 in). The giant crane fly (Holorusia rubiginosa) of the western United States can reach 38 millimetres (1.5 in). Some Tipula species are 64 millimetres (2.5 in). Many smaller species (known as bobbing gnats) are mosquito-sized, but they can be distinguished from mosquitoes by the V-shaped suture on the thorax, nonpiercing mouthparts, and a lack of scales on the wing veins.
Female abdomens contain eggs, and as a result appear swollen in comparison to those of males. The female abdomen also ends in a pointed ovipositor that may look somewhat like a stinger, but is in fact completely harmless.
Adult mouthparts may occur on the end of the cr ane fly's long face, which is sometimes called a snout or a short rostrum.
Larvae have a distinct head capsule, and their abdominal segments often have long fleshy projections surrounding the posterior spiracles (almost like tentacles).
Ecology
Despite their common names, as adults, crane flies do not prey on mosquitoes, nor do they bite humans. Some larval crane flies are predatory and may eat mosquito larvae.[2] Adult crane flies feed on nectar or they do not feed at all. Once they become adults, most crane fly species exist as adults only to mate and die. Their larvae, called "leatherjackets", "leatherbacks", "leatherback bugs" or "leatherjacket slugs" because of the way they move, consume roots (such as those of turf grass) and other vegetation, in some cases causing damage to plants. The crane fly is occasionally considered a mild turf pest in some areas. In 1935, Lord's Cricket Ground in London was among the venues affected by leatherjackets: several thousand were collected by ground staff and burned, because they caused bald patches on the wicket and the pitch took unaccustomed spin for much of the season.[3]
Little is known of the juvenile biology of many crane fly species. The larvae of less than 2% of the species have been described. Of those that have been described, many prefer moist environments, and some leatherjackets are aquatic.
Genera
- Subfamily Ctenophorinae
- Subfamily Dolichopezinae
- Dolichopeza Curtis, 1825
- Subfamily Tipulinae
- Acracantha Skuse, 189 0
- Angarotipula Savchenko, 1961
- Austrotipula Alexander, 1920
- Brachypremna Osten Sacken, 1887
- Brithura Edwards, 1916
- Clytocosmus Skuse, 1890
- Elnoretta Alexander, 1929
- Euvaldiviana Alexander, 1981
- Goniotipula Alexander, 1921
- Holorusia Loew, 1863
- Hovapeza Alexander, 1951
- Hovatipula Alexander, 1955
- Idiotipula Alexander, 1921
- Indotipula Edwards, 1931
- Ischnotoma Skuse, 1890
- Keiseromyia Alexander, 1963
- Leptotarsus Guerin-Meneville, 1831
- Macgregoromyia Alexander, 1929
- Megistocera Wiedeman n, 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 Linnaeus, 1758, 1758
- Tipulodina Enderlein, 1912
- Valdiviana Alexander, 1929
- Zelandotipula Alexander, 1922
See also
- Tipularia discolor, the crane fly orchid
References
- ^ a b Dictionary of American Regional English. http://books.google.com/books?id=vAr2T4Bh7nkC&pg=PA620&lpg=PA620&dq=gollywhopper+-wikipedia+%22c rane+fly%22&source=bl&ots=yO7kfvT_wr&sig=br834TNyyx2l1eBkRPiypAZxpxg&hl=en&ei=OiGmSZG6OJqqtQPMrqT3Dw&sa=X&oi=book_result&resnum=3&ct=result#PPA620,M1.
- ^ Crane Flies of Kentucky - University of Kentucky Entomology
- ^ Andrew Ward. Cricket's Strangest Matches (1998 ed.). Robson Books, London. p. 111.
External links
- Delta-Intkey.com, Family descriptions and images
- Ohioline.osu.edu, Ohio State University Fact Sheet
- Mosquito Hawk Information
- 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.bet, photo gallery, many species
- Gaga.jes.mlc.edu.tw, Tipulidae of Taiwan (Chinese), with images under Latin binomials
- Insects.tamu.edu, Texas A&M Entomology Field Guide
- Rowland Lawn Direct, More information on Leatherjackets
Species lists
- Faunaeur.org, Palaearctic
- Nearctica.com, Nearctic
- Konchudb.agr.agr.kyushu-u.ac.jp, Japan
- Oosterbroek, Pjotr, HBS.Bishopmuseum.org, "Tipulidae"
Taxonomy
The Family Tipulidae is a member of the Superfamily Tipuloidea. Here is the complete "parentage" of Tipulidae:
- Domain: Eukaryota
Whittaker & Margulis,1978 - eukaryotes
- Kingdom: Animalia
C. Linnaeus, 1758 - animals
- Subkingdom: Bilateria
(Hatschek, 1888) Cavalier-Smith, 1983 - bilaterians
- Branch: Protostomia
Grobben, 1908 - protostomes
- Infrakingdom: Ecdysozoa
A.M.A. Aguinaldo et al., 1997 ex T. Cavalier-Smith, 1998 - ecdysozoans
- Superphylum: Panarthropoda
Cuvier
- Phylum: Arthropoda
Latreille, 1829 - Arthropods
- Subphylum: Mandibulata
Snodgrass, 1938
- Infraphylum: Atelocerata
Heymons, 1901
- Superclass: Panhexapoda
- Class: Insecta
C. Linnaeus, 1758 - Insects
- Subclass: Dicondylia
- Infraclass: Pterygota
- Winged Insects
- Superorder: Panorpida
- Order: Diptera
(DIP-ter-uh)
C. Linnaeus, 1758
- Suborder: Nematocera
- a genus of Flies (Diptera)
- Infraorder: Tipulomorpha
- Superfamily: Tipuloidea
- Family: Tipulidae - Crane Flies
- Superfamily: Tipuloidea
- Infraorder: Tipulomorpha
- Suborder: Nematocera
- a genus of Flies (Diptera)
- Order: Diptera
(DIP-ter-uh)
C. Linnaeus, 1758
- Superorder: Panorpida
- Infraclass: Pterygota
- Winged Insects
- Subclass: Dicondylia
- Class: Insecta
C. Linnaeus, 1758 - Insects
- Superclass: Panhexapoda
- Infraphylum: Atelocerata
Heymons, 1901
- Subphylum: Mandibulata
Snodgrass, 1938
- Phylum: Arthropoda
Latreille, 1829 - Arthropods
- Superphylum: Panarthropoda
Cuvier
- Infrakingdom: Ecdysozoa
A.M.A. Aguinaldo et al., 1997 ex T. Cavalier-Smith, 1998 - ecdysozoans
- Branch: Protostomia
Grobben, 1908 - protostomes
- Subkingdom: Bilateria
(Hatschek, 1888) Cavalier-Smith, 1983 - bilaterians
- Kingdom: Animalia
C. Linnaeus, 1758 - animals
The Family Tipulidae is further organized into finer groupings including:
- Subfamily (1): Agonoxeninae
- Genus (102): Acracantha · Angarotipula · Arctoconopa · Atarba · Aurotipula · Austrolimnophila · Austrotipula · Brachypremna · Brevicera · Brithura · Carolus · Cerezodia · Cheilotrichia · Chionea · Chlorotipula · Cladura · Clytocosmus · Cryptolabis · Ctenacroscelis · Cylindrotoma · Dactylolabis · Dicranomyia · Dicranoptycha · Dictenidia · Dolichopeza · Elephantomyia · Elliptera · Elnoretta · Epiphragma · Erioptera · Euvaldiviana · Gnophomyia · Goniotipula · Gonomyia · Gonomyodes · Hesperoconopa · Hexatoma · Holorusia · Hovapeza · Hovatipula · Idioglochina · Idiognophomyia · Idiotipula · Indotipula · Ischnotoma · Keiseromyia · Leptotarsus · Limnobia · Liogma · Lipsothrix · Macgregoromyia · Macromastix · Maoritipula · Megistocera · Metalibnotes · Molophilus · Nasiternella · Nealexandriaria · Neocladura · Neolimnophila · Nephrotoma · Nigrotipula · Orimarga · Ornithodes · Ozodicera · Pachyrhina · Pales · Paradelphomyia · Pedicia · Phacelodocera · Phalacrocera · Phoroctenia · Phyllolabis · Pilaria · Platyphasia · Polymera · Prionocera · Prionota · Prolimnophila · Pselliophora · Pseudolimnophila · Ptilogyna · Rhabdomastix · Rhicnoptila · Scamboneura · Shannonomyia · Siagona · Sphaerionotus · Tanyptera · Tasiocera · Teucholabis · Thaumastoptera · Tipula · Tipulodina · Toxorhina · Trimicra · Triogma · Ula · Ulomorpha · Valdiviana · Zelandoglochina · Zelandotipula
- Species: ZipcodeZoo has pages for 11,943 species and subspecies in the Family Tipulidae.
Genera
Acracantha
Acracantha is a genus of true crane fly. [more]
Angarotipula
Angarotipula is a genus of true crane fly. [more]
Arctoconopa
Arctoconopa is a genus of crane fly in the family Limoniidae. [more]
Atarba
Atarba is a genus of crane fly in the family Limoniidae. [more]
Aurotipula
Austrolimnophila
Austrolimnophila is a genus of crane fly in the family Limoniidae. [more]
Austrotipula
Austrotipula is a genus of true crane fly. [more]
Brachypremna
Brevicera
Brithura
Carolus
Cerezodia
Cheilotrichia
Chionea
Chionea is a genus of wingless limoniid crane flies. It consists of two subgenera, the holarctic Chionea and palaearctic Sphaeconophilus. About 40 species are currently recognized in the northern hemisphere, but there are probably several undescribed species. They are commonly called snow flies. [more]
Chlorotipula
Cladura
Clytocosmus
Cryptolabis
Ctenacroscelis
Cylindrotoma
Dactylolabis
Dicranomyia
Dicranoptycha
Dictenidia
Dolichopeza
Elephantomyia
Elliptera
Elnoretta
Epiphragma
Erioptera
Euvaldiviana
Gnophomyia
Goniotipula
Gonomyia
Gonomyodes
Hesperoconopa
Hexatoma
Holorusia
Hovapeza
Hovatipula
Idioglochina
Idiognophomyia
Idiotipula
Indotipula
Ischnotoma
Keiseromyia
Leptotarsus
Limnobia
Liogma
Lipsothrix
Macgregoromyia
Macromastix
Maoritipula
Megistocera
Metalibnotes
Molophilus
Nasiternella
Nealexandriaria
Neocladura
Neolimnophila
Nephrotoma
Nigrotipula
Orimarga
Ornithodes
Ozodicera
Pachyrhina
Pales
A Genus in the Kingdom Animalia.[1] [more]
Paradelphomyia
Pedicia
Phacelodocera
Phalacrocera
Phoroctenia
Phyllolabis
Pilaria
Platyphasia
Polymera
Prionocera
Prionota
Prolimnophila
Pselliophora
Pseudolimnophila
Ptilogyna
Rhabdomastix
Rhicnoptila
Scamboneura
Shannonomyia
Siagona
Sphaerionotus
Tanyptera
Tasiocera
Teucholabis
Thaumastoptera
Tipula
Tipulodina
Toxorhina
Trimicra
Triogma
Ula
A Genus in the Kingdom Animalia.[2] [more]
Ulomorpha
Valdiviana
Zelandoglochina
Zelandotipula
At least 71 species and subspecies belong to the Genus Zelandotipula.
More info about the Genus Zelandotipula may be found here.
References
- ^ a b Dictionary of American Regional English. http://books.google.com/books?id=vAr2T4Bh7nkC&pg=PA620&lpg=PA620&dq=gollywhopper+-wikipedia+%22cran e+fly%22&source=bl&ots=yO7kfvT_wr&sig=br834TNyyx2l1eBkRPiypAZxpxg&hl=en&ei=OiGmSZG6OJqqtQPMrqT3Dw&sa=X&oi=book_result&resnum=3&ct=result#PPA620,M1.
- ^ Crane Flies of Kentucky - University of Kentucky Entomology
- ^ Andrew Ward. Cricket's Strangest Matches (1998 ed.). Robson Books, London. p. 111.
Footnotes
- http://bugguide.net/index.php?q=search&keys=Pales&search=Search
- http://bugguide.net/index.php?q=search&keys=Ula&search=Search
Sources
- The text on this page is licensed under the GNU Free Documentation License. It includes material from Wikipedia retrieved Wednesday, April 25, 2012.
- The distribution map on the Distribution tab comes from the Global Biodiversity Information Facility and is used with permission.
- Photographs on this page are copyrighted by individual photographers, and individual copyrights apply.
- The technology underlying this page, including the controls behind Keep Exploring, is owned by the BayScience Foundation. All rights are reserved.