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| Tipulidae: Limoniinae |
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History | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Atarba (Atarba) picticornis Osten Sacken [^Top]
There is only one
species of this genus found in our area. The adults are small (6-7
mm) sized crane flies with polished yellow color. Abdominal
segments are yellow and each segment with a blackened subterminal
ring. Their antennae are elongated and bicolored in males. The
adults are not uncommon in shaded open woods and also common in
grassy areas or on lower vegetations. The larval stages occur in
saturated, decaying wood.
Austrolimnophila (Austrolimnophila) toxoneura (Osten Sacken) [^Top] Adult flies of this species are about 6-9 mm in size. They are brownish-yellow in color and with a distinct brown line in the thoracic pleura. Their wings are brownish-yellow and unmarked except for the slightly darker stigma. The adult flies rest with the wing outspread. The larval stages are found in decaying wood. One generation occurs from May through early July in our area.
Species of the
genus Chionea are the only nearly wingless crane flies in
In their natural
habitat, species of
Chionea may be found
together with other winter wingless insects such as snow
scorpionflies Boreus specis (Mecoptera:
Boreidae), and stoneflies (Plecoptera: Capniinae), but can be easily
distinguished from these two groups by their distinct halteres and
shorter antennae (see
below
images for all
three groups for comparison).
See
Byers 1983 paper for
further detailed information on morphology, natural history,
distributions, identification keys, literatures of this genus in
North America. Chionea scita Walker [^Top] The adult “snow crane flies” occur in the winter months. They are wingless in both sexes and can be seen most frequently after a fresh fall of snow crawling sluggishly on the surface at temperatures as low as –10 degree C. The small (5-8 mm), spider-like adults are yellowish-brown in color, and their antennae have 12 segments. The natural history of this species is still largely a mystery, and some observers have suggested an association with nests of small mammals such as mice and chipmunks. Detailed studies on this genus can be found in Dr. George W. Byers’ paper of 1983.
Chionea valga
Harris This species has a northern
and eastern distribution.
Their bodies (3-6 mm in males and 4-8 mm in females) are
of dull reddish brown in color and their antennae have 6-7
segments. The size
variation in this species is noticeable.
Some species of Chionea valga may be twice
as long as others of the same sex taken on the same day in the
same habitats; but dimensions of the genital segments vary much
less than those of body and legs (Byers, 1983). Chionea valga
is
the most widely
distributed species in the genus, ranging from coastal Labrador
westward to central
Byers also mentioned
in his 1983 paper that this species has a broad range
of habitat. Roughly
from north to south these are: arctic tundra in coastal
Labrador; subarctic spruce forest and more southern
subarctic spruce-fir forest extending across much of
southern Canada; white pine, jack pine and other evergreens
in the northern Great Lakes region; and mixed hardwood
forest of beech, maple, hemlock, birch, from the upper
Mississippi River eastward across Wisconsin, Michigan, New
York, Pennsylvania and much of New England and extending
southward along the crest of the Appalachian Mountains.
Elsewhere the species penetrates to a limit extent
the oak-hickory forest and the Appalachian hardwood forest.
The range in general has fairly deep and persistent
snow cover form November through March.
Cladura flavoferruginea Osten Sacken [^Top] The adult of this species is 8-12 mm in size and occur mainly in woodlands during late summer and fall. The adults are orange-yellow in color and have brown crossbands on the abdomen. The wings are transparent with brown dots along the cross veins. The adults are often found walking on leaves, with the body elevated and parallel to the upper leaf surface and the wings folded flat over the back. They are common in woods in late fall when few other insects are similarly active. As a result, they may be important food for fall migratory songbirds. Their larvae inhabit relatively dry soil in woodlands.
Dactylolabis (Dactylolabis) montana (Osten Sacken) [^Top] This species is one of the most common and widely distributed of the local species of the genus. It varies very greatly in size but only a single species seems to be involved. They are about 6-10 mm in size and are frequently found on the vertical faces of shaded cliffs and rock exposures in ravines and gorges. Their wings have heavy spotted brownish gray cloud pattern along costal margin and fork of outer cells. The larvae live on algal growth. The related species Dactylolabis cubitalis are dark brown in color and have unmarked, strong brownish-yellow wings.
Genus
Dicranoptycha Osten Sacken
Dicranoptycha elsa Alexander [^Top] Dicranoptycha elsa is basic grayish brown in color, it can be easily recognized by lack of the dark brown seam along the Cu vein. This species has been collected from New York westward to eastern Kansas, and southward along the Appalachian Mountains to northeastern Georgia. The recent collection indicates its range in Mississippi (Amite County, 12 April 2007 Gayle and Jeanell Strickland).
Dicranoptycha germana Osten Sacken [^Top] Dicranoptycha germana have strong reddish-brown wings and are common in dry oak-maple mixed woodlands. This species shows striking variation in body color, from dark reddish brown to light brownish-yellow. The adult flies have a more hairy appearance than any other species of Dicranoptycha. They have been recorded from Quebec westward to northern Minnesota and southward to South Carolina. This is so far as known the only species of this genus inhabits the Canadian life-zone. The adults have a long flight period from mid-June through October, with the peak in July.
Dicranoptycha nigripes
Osten Sacken
Dicranoptycha
nigripes
is basic reddish yellow in color.
They can be easily recognized by their abdominal
coloration, which has transverse blackened bands near
mid-length from sterna of segments three to seven.
The male has branching aedegal processes.
This species has a southern distribution with records
from
Other related species of Dicranoptycha: [^Top]
Elephantomyia (Elephantomyia) westwoodi Osten Sacken [^Top] The adults of this genus are distinct crane flies with an exceedingly elongated rostrum that is nearly as long as the entire body. There is only one species of this genus in our area. The adult flies are about 8-11 mm in body length, and about 16-19 mm including the rostrum. Adults have yellow abdomen and each segment with distinct dark subterminal ring. Their wings are brownish-yellow with conspicuous stigma. Adult flies are found in open woodlands usually hanging from leaves on low branches of trees. The larval stages are found in decaying wood.
Epiphragma (Epiphragma) fasciapenne (Say) [^Top] This is one of the local striking and beautiful species of medium-sized (9-12 mm) crane flies. It is common in the latter half of May and early June, and generally found in moist woodlands. Adults usually found on forest litter or low shrubs, less than two feet above ground. Adult males also form small dancing swarms at dusk in shaded places. Larvae of this genus are usually found in decaying wood.
Epiphragma (Epiphragma) solatrix (Osten Sacken) [^Top] This is the only other species of Epiphragma found in the same habitats as the previous species. The two species can be distinguished by their wing patterns. Epiphragma fasciapenne has wings with pale brown cross bands that are narrowly margined with darker brown, and with a brown ring at the tip of each femur. Epiphragma solatrix has wings with an irregular pattern of brown and tawny color, and with a brown ring before tip of each femur. It has two generations per year and individual flies of the summer/fall generation have a smaller body size than those of the spring generation.
Erioptera (Erioptera) chlorophylla Osten Sacken [^Top] Adults of this species are small-sized 4-5 mm pale green crane flies with large black eyes. They are often found on low vegetation near water edges. The larval stages live in moist earth. About 8 species of this pale green crane flies belong to this group in our area. They can be separated only based on the variations of their genitalia.
Erioptera (Erioptera) septemtrionis Osten Sacken [^Top] These are small-sized (4-5 mm) brown crane flies. Adults are brownish yellow in color with dark brown halteres. The pleura of thorax has a dark brown longitudinal stripe. This species has a long flight period probably with two generations starting in April and lasting through the month of September.
Other related species of Erioptera (Erioptera): [^Top]
Erioptera (Hoplolabis) armata Osten Sacken [^Top] Adults of this species are small (5-6 mm) gray crane flies. The abdominal segments are dark brown, each segment ringed posterior with pale color. Their wings have a heavy dark brown pattern, arranged along costal areas, with smaller spots at the ends of longitudinal veins and on cross veins. Adults are found along all watercourses, either from shaded banks or from the base and roots of large trees by streams. This species also forms swarms.
Erioptera (Ilisia) venusta Osten Sacken [^Top] These are small (5-6 mm) sized brown crane flies. Their wings have two distinct broad brown cross bands. The small band does not reach the margin of the costal vein, while the larger one reaches the border. The related species Erioptera graphica have their wings with the dark pattern broken into small spots and narrow brown seams along cords.
Erioptera (Mesocyphona) caliptera Say [^Top] This is one of the small crane flies (3-4 mm in length). Body is brownish yellow with two conspicuously brown stripes on the pleura. Three species occur in the northeast. Erioptera parva is the smallest species with male of 2.5 mm in size, and their wings have no white spots but with small darker spots on the veins and at margins of veins. Erioptera needhami generally is similar to Erioptera caliptera in appearance, except they have fewer white spots on their wings and their femora with a single brown subterminal ring instead of two as in E. caliptera. They are abundant where soil is wet or muddy during most of the year, in bottomland forests, swamp woods, and grassy margins of streams. The larval stages of these species are spent in damp earth.
Erioptera (Mesocyphona) needhami
Alexander
Erioptera
needhami
generally is similar to Erioptera caliptera in
appearance, except they are slightly smaller and have fewer
white spots on their wings and their femora with only a single
brown subterminal ring instead of two as in E. caliptera.
They are abundant where soil is wet or muddy during most
of the year, in bottomland forests, swamp woods, and grassy
margins of streams. The larval stages of these species are spent
in damp earth. This
species has been reported from
Erioptera (Mesocyphona) parva Osten Sacken [^Top] This species has the smallest body size about 2.5 mm in its group. The main difference among the three species in this group is Erioptera parva has small darker spots on the cord and veins on their wings. Their legs are yellow and the femora have a narrow brown subterminal ring. Previously reported from Kansas to Michigan, Connecticut, south ward to Florida and was recently recorded from
Erioptera (Symplecta) cana (Walker) [^Top] Adults of this small (6-7 mm) gray crane fly are the first species to appear in the spring, when most vegetation has not yet started growing. They are common and abundant in the spring in nearly all wooded habitats and open grasslands. The fall generation is less conspicuous. The larval stages are found in saturated earth along water edges. There is only one species in this genus found in North America. This species is wide spread throughout North America, as far south as the mountains of Central America.
Steve Taylor (Illinois Natural History Survey) took the following two photos in the city of Urbana at Champaign County, Illinois. These images illustrate the Postcopulatory Mate Guarding Behavior that is common among crane flies in the subfamily Limoniinae. This behavior is observed general among species whose females oviposit in wet mud or near flowing and percolating water where coupling pairs are often observed in numbers. After mating, the female starts oviposition while the male stays astride more or less parallel with the female. In this manner, the male keeps frequent, close contact with the female, and will push or drive away any rival. By defending his mate from intruding rivals, the guarding male may have the last-male advantage and also prolong the female ovipositing period. This mate guarding behavior has also been observed in Limonia communis, and described in Limonia simulans, Antocha saxicola and Dactylolabis montana (Adler and Adler 1991).
Eugnophomyia luctuosa Osten Sacken [^Top] This species has not been collected in PA and is listed here due to its extremely resemblance to the following species. They are about 6-8 mm in size and black in color. The characters used to separate these two species apart are the halteres of this species is black throughout, and the apical cells of their wings have hairs (see the attached wing image). These two species used to classified under the same genus Gnophomyia, they are now in separate genera. This species has a more southern distribution know from Indiana, Illinois to Florida and Mississippi.
Gnophomyia tristissima Osten Sacken [^Top] The adults of this species are black with strongly darkened wings. They are about 6-8 mm in size and have distinct yellow color knobs of halteres. They occur in bottomland woods and wet thickets on herbage among fallen, decaying trees. The larvae are found beneath the bark of decaying deciduous trees.
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