crane fly

Crane fly
Nephrotoma appendiculata (spotted crane-fly)
larva (leatherjacket)
Scientific classification
Kingdom:	Animalia
Phylum:	Arthropoda
Class:	Insecta
Order:	Diptera
Suborder:	Nematocera
Infraorder:	Tipulomorpha
Superfamily:	Tipuloidea
Family:	Tipulidae Latreille, 1802
Genera
see text

Insects in the family Tipulidae are commonly known as crane flies. Adults are very slender, long-legged flies that may vary in length from 2–60 mm (tropical species may exceed 100 mm).

In the United Kingdom, South Africa, Australia, New Zealand and Ireland they are commonly referred to as daddy long-legs, 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).

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] gollywhopper,^[1] and jimmy spinner.^{[citation needed]}

At least 4256 species of crane flies have been described, most of them (75%) by the specialist Charles Paul Alexander. This makes the Tipulidae the largest family of Diptera.

Morphology

Close-up of the head of a crane-fly (Nephrotoma quadrifaria). Notice the mouth parts, the compound eyes and the antennae

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. Also, it is very easy to accidentally break off their delicate legs when catching them, even without direct contact.

Crane flies vary in size, with temperate species ranging from 2 mm up to 60 mm, while tropical species have been recorded at over 100 mm. The Giant Crane Fly (Holorusia rubiginosa) of the western United States can reach 38 mm (1.5 inches). Some Tipula species are 64 mm (2.5 inches). 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, non-piercing 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, crane flies do not prey on mosquitoes as adults, nor do they bite humans. ^[2] Adult crane flies feed on nectar or they do not feed at all; once they become adults, most crane fly species live 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.

The long legs are an adaptation that may allow the fly to alight in grassy places.^{[citation needed]}

Crane flies are a food source for many birds. They are also susceptible to fungal infections and are a food source for many other insects.^{[citation needed]}

Genera

• Subfamily Ctenophorinae

• Ctenophora Meigen, 1803
• Dictenidia Brulle, 1833
• Phoroctenia Coquillett, 1910
• Pselliophora Osten Sacken, 1887
• Tanyptera Latreille, 1804

• 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 and 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

Misconceptions

An urban legend states that the daddy long-legs spider has the most potent venom of any spider; this same legend is attributed to crane flies where they commonly go by the name "daddy long-legs" (principally in the United Kingdom). In fact, the crane fly is innocuous, while the spider's venom is harmless to humans because of the small dosage. The commonly confused harvestman, also known as daddy long-legs but which isn't a spider, is also not venomous.

See also

• Crane fly orchid (Tipularia discolor)

References

• Oosterbroek, Pjotr. "Tipulidae" http://hbs.bishopmuseum.org/aocat/tipulidae.html

External links

Look up crane fly in Wiktionary, the free dictionary.

Wikimedia Commons has media related to: Tipulidae

Wikispecies has information related to: Tipulidae

• Family descriptions and images
• Ohio State University Fact Sheet
• Crane Flies of Pennsylvania Extensive Specimen Collection, Carnegie Museum of Natural History
• Catalog of Craneflies of the World
• Family Tipulidae
• Image Gallery from Diptera.info
• Image Gallery from Bug Guide Extensive photo gallery, many species
• Tipulidae of Taiwan In Traditional Chinese but images are under Latin binomials
• Texas A&M Entomology Field Guide

Species lists

• Palaearctic
• Nearctic
• Japan
• Australasian / Oceanian includes family account by Pjotr Oosterbroek