Crane Fly :: Identification Keys

CRANE FLY IENTIFICATION KEYS

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Tipulidae is the largest family in the Diptera. According to the classification concept of Charles P. Alexander (as used here), the family Tipulidae includes three subfamilies: Tipulinae, Cylindrotominae, and Limoniinae. Some crane fly specialists recognize four families (Tipulidae, Limoniidae, Cylindrotomidae and Pediciidae) following the classification in the Catalogue of the Craneflies of the World (Oosterbroek 2005).

In North America most large crane flies belong to the subfamily Tipulinae. These are characterized by having the terminal segment of the maxillary palps slender and longer than the penultimate segment, and the antennae are normally 13-segmented. In the Limoniinae and Cylindrotominae the terminal segment of the maxillary palps is as short as the others, and the antennae usually have 14 to 16 segments.

IDENTIFICATION [^Top]

Crane fly identification has traditionally been based on the comparisons of differences in various morphological characteristics among groups, the presence or absence of certain structures, the relative body size, and especially the variation of the genitalia. Images for diagnostic characters are provided whenever available.

Viewers are advised that the follow identification key is based mainly on characteristics observed on dry mounted crane fly specimens, thus the description of the characters may differ from specimens preserved in liquid. This simplified preliminary key is modified from Alexander (1942; 1967), Alexander and Byers (1981), Byers (1961), and Young (1978). The species included in this key are not exclusive to Pennsylvania. Many have a geographical distribution through out eastern North America.

KEYS TO ADULT CRANE FLIES OF PENNSYLVANIA   [^Top]
[* eastern North America species not recorded in Pennsylvania]

1A.     Wings with a single anal vein (A1) reaching the wing margin…………...….........................……2




1B.     Wings with two anal veins (A1, A2) reaching the wing margin…………....…..................…..…...5

2A(1).     Wings with 5 branches of radius vein ................Family Tanyderidae (Primitive crane flies)...................................................................................................... ...........Protoplasa fitchii

2B(1).     Wings with 4 branches of radius vein…..Family Ptychopteridae (Phantom crane flies)...... 3

3A(2).     Antennae with 16 segments; wings with cell M1; legs not patterned with black and white ………………..................................................……...............…………..…. Ptychoptera quadrifasciata

3B(2).     Antennae with 20 or more segments; wings with cell M1 lacking; legs banded with black and white………………………………………………………....................................…...……………....………….4

4A(3).     Basitarsi of all legs dilated…........................................................ Bittacomorpha clavipes

4B(3).     Basitarsi not dilated…………………….......………….………........…… Bittacomorphella jonesi

5A(1).      Three ocelli present; wings with second anal vein (A2) short and strongly curved at apex and bent suddenly towards the wing margins.. Family Trichoceridae (Winter crane flies) ..............…......................................................................................................…..Trichocera garretti

Trichocera species Photo by Stephen Cresswell

5B(1).      Ocelli absent; V-shaped sutues on thoracic dorsum; wings with both anal veins long............ Family Tipulidae (crane flies) ......................................................................................................6

Dolichopeza sp. showing V suture Photo by Gaga Lin

6A(5).      Terminal segment of maxillary palpus short; nasus absent; antennae usually with 14-16 segments; wings with Sc1 present; body size small to medium…....................................................7


Limonia (Geranomyia) wing by Gayle and Jeanell Strickland Eugnophomyia luctuosa head by Gayle and Jeanell Strickland

6B(5).      Terminal segment of maxillary palpus elongate; nasus usually present; antennae usually with 13 segments; wings with Sc1 usually atrophied; body size large...subfamily Tipulinae….....….…9


Tipula furca head by Gayle and Jeanell Strickland                      Tipula furca wing by Gayle and Jeanell Strickland
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7A(6).      Tip of R1+2 usually atrophied, with R1 gradually converging and fusing with R3, well before wing margin; R1+2 if present, arising near this point of fusion; free tip of Sc2 present……………subfamily Cylindrotominae………….........................................................................................…..8

wing of Cylindrotoma species

7B(6).      Tip of R1+2 present; R1 not appearing to converge with R3; R2 when present    usually appears as a cross vein between R1 and R2. free tip of Sc2 present in tribe Limoniini, absent in all other tribe…………......subfamily Limoniinae…………...................................................................

8A(7).      Cell m1 present; antennal flagellomeres simple….........................……Phalacrocera tipulina


Phalacrocera tipulina wing and antennae

8B(7).      Cell m1 absent; antennal flagellomeres strongly nodulose.......................Liogma nodicornis


Liogma nodicornis wing and antenna

9A(6).      Legs long and slender; tarsi as long as or exceeding in length the femur and tibia together …...........…………………………………………….................................……….....……..…….....……...….10

9B(6).      Legs shorter and of normal stoutness; tarsi not as long as femur and tibia together…………………………………………………………………………………………………....................22

10A(9).    Nasus present; antennae short, subequal to the length of the head; Rs long; Sc1 preserved; free tip of Sc2 at wing margin close to Sc1 ………………………..….........…..…............…....….........…..…..........…11


Megistocera longipennis headand Brachypremna dispellens wing

10B(9).    Nasus absent; antennae longer than the head; Rs short; Sc1 atrophied .......................................................genus Dolichopeza (see Byers 1961).....................12

Dolichopeza species head and wing

11A(10).    Crossvein r-m originating in Rs; crossvein m-cu present………..….Megistocera longipennis

Megistocera longipennis wing by Gayle and Jeanell Strickland Megistocera longipennis female by Gayle and Jeanell Strickland

11B(10).    Crossvein r-m originating in R4+5; crossvein m-cu absent.........…Brachypremna dispellens

Brachypremna dispellnes wing by Gayle and Jeanell Strickland Brachypremna dispellnes male by Gayle and Jeanell Strickland

Brachypremna dispellnes male genitalia by Gayle and Jeanell Strickland Brachypremna dispellnes female ovipositor by Gayle and Jeanell Strickland

12A(10).   Cell dm absent (cell 1st m2 open); tarsal segments snowy white.........................................................................………Dolichopeza (Dolichopeza) americana

Dolichopeza americana male and wing

12B(10).    Cell dm closed; tarsal segments white or not........……Dolichopeza (Oropeza)………......13



13A(12).    Gonapophyses with tips flattened and blade-like or slender and pointed, with hairs but not with stout black spines……………………………………….....…..…………..............................…….…...14

Gonapophyses of various Dolichopeza species after Byers 1961

13B(12).    Gonapophyses shaped like small knobs, bearing decurved, stout black spines and bristles………………………………………………………………………………….........................……….…..19

Gonapophyses of various Dolichopeza species after Byers 1961

14A(13).    Legs with tarsi white; femora and tibiae pale with narrowly darkened tips………………………………………………………………........……......….....…...……Dolichopeza carolus

Dolichopeza carolus male 9th tergum after Byers 1961 Dolichopeza carolus male gonapophyses after Byers 1961 Dolichopeza carolus male inner dististyle after Byers 1961 Dolichopeza carolus male outer dististyle after Byers 1961

Dolichopeza carolus male by Chen Young Dolichopeza carolus female by Chen Young

14B(13).    Legs with tarsi yellowish brown; no darkened tips on femora and tibia…….................….15

15A(14).    Gonapophyses narrow, tapering to blackened sclerotized points …………...............….…16

15B(14).    Gonapophyses not narrow and not tapering to points….....…….……..............……..……..17

16A(15).    Adminiculum without a subapical posterior spine………...................…Dolichopeza venosa

Dolichopeza venosa male 9th tergum after Byers 1961 Dolichopeza venosa male gonapophyses after Byers 1961 Dolichopeza venosa male inner dististyle after Byers 1961 Dolichopeza venosa male outer distisytyle after Byers 1961

16B(15).   Adminiculum with a subapical posterior spine……......................….Dolichopeza subvenosa

Dolichopeza subvenosa male 9th tergum after Byers 1961 Dolichopeza subvenosa male gonapophyses with subapical spine after Byers 1961 Dolichopeza subvenosa male inner dististyle after Byers 1961 Dolichopeza subvenosa male outer dististyle after Byers 1961

Dolichopeza subvenosa male by Chen Young Dolichopeza subvenosa female by Chen Young

17A(15).    Gonapophyses slightly widened toward the tips, the margins entire; tergal arms only slightly expanded at tips…………………........................................................….…..Dolichopeza sayi

Dolichopeza sayi male 9th tergum after Byers 1961 Dolichopeza sayi male gonapophyses after Byers 1961 Dolichopeza sayi male inner dististyle after Byers 1961 Dolichopeza sayi male outer dististyle after Byers 1961

17B(15).    Gonapophyses expanded at tips, the margins irregularly toothed; tergal arms markedly expanded at tips……………………………………………………………………............................…..……..18

18A(17).    Gonapophyses with a long, spinous projection directed dorso-cephalad from the inner face…………………………………………….............................…..................…….…..Dolichopeza similis

Dolichopeza similis male 9th tergum after Byers 1961 Dolichopeza similis male gonapophyses after Byers 1961 Dolichopeza similis male inner dististyle after Byers 1961 Dolichopeza similis male outer dististyle after Byers 1961

Dolichopeza similis male by Chen Young

18B(17).    Gonapophyses without prominent projections from inner faces of gonapophyses…………………………………………………..............................………..Dolihopeza walleyi

Dolichopeza walleyi male 9th tergum after Byers 1961 Dolichopeza walleyi male gonapophyses after Byers 1961 Dolichopeza walleyi male inner dististyle after Byers 1961 Dolichopeza walleyi male outer dististyle after Byers 1961

Dolichopeza walleyi male by Chen Young Dolichopeza walleyi female by Chen Young

19A(13).    Medio-posterior margin of ninth tergum undulating with two broad rounded lobes; tergal arms with slender tips……………............................….........................….…..Dolichopeza johnsonella

Dolichopeza johnsonella male 9th tergum after Byers 1961 Dolichopeza johnsonella male inner dististyle after Byers 1961 Dolichopeza johnsonella male outer dististyle after Byers 1961

Dolichopeza johnsonella male by Chen Young Dolichopeza johnsonella female by Chen Young

19B(13).    Medio-posterior margin of ninth tergum with projecting teeth; tergal arms in various shapes………………………………………………………………………………...............…………….….....….20

20A(19).    Tergal arms widely flared and emarginated at tips; teeth of ninth tergum not set close together…………………………………..…………..........…............................…...…..Dolichopeza obscura

Dolichopeza obscura male 9th tergum after Byers 1961 Dolichopeza obscura male inner dististyle after Byers 1961 Dolichopeza obscura male outer dististyle after Byers 1961

Dolichopeza obscura male by Chen Young Dolichopeza obscura female by Chen Young

20B(19).    Tergal arms not flared or emarginated at tips; teeth of ninth tergum set close together, usually on a common basal projection…………………………...............................................……..….21

21A(20).    Outer dististyles bount-tipped and not expanded at bases; median lobe of tergal margin subrectangular in shape, bearing three teeth of nearly equal length ......…..Dolichopeza tridenticulata

Dolichopeza tridenticulata male 9th tergum after Byers 1961 Dolichopeza tridenticulata male inner dististyle after Byers 1961 Dolichopeza tridenticulata male outer dististyle after Byers 1961

Dolichopeza tridenticulata male by Chen Young Dolichopeza tridenticulata female by Chen Young

21B(20).    Outer dististyles with pointed tips and with basal portion usually enlarged; median lobes of tergal margin various but usually with three teeth, the central one the longest....Dolichopeza polita

Dolichopeza polita male 9th tergum after Byers 1961 Dolichopeza polita male inner dististyle after Byers 1961 Dolichopeza polita male outer dististyle after Byers 1961

Dolichopeza polita male by Chen Young Dolichopeza polita female by Chen Young

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22A(9).    Antennal flagellomeres branched in male and less so in female...genus Ctenophora.........23

22B(9).    Antennal flagellomeres simple to slightly produced…….………………………............…..…..25

23A(22).    Intermediate flagellomeres of male three-branched; flagellomeres 2-10 each with a longer basal pair of branches and a single shorter spur on outer half; ovipositor with cerci long and slender; specimens of this species exhibits extreme polymorphism in body size and body color from black, yellow or red in both sexes……………....….……….........…....…Ctenophora (Tanyptera) dorsalis


Ctenophora dorsalis antennae and ovipositor

    Ctenophora dorsalis male by    Ctenophora dorsalis male      Ctenophora dorsalis male Ctenophora dorsalis female

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