Crane fly

Crane fly
Crane fly
Nephrotoma (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

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 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). 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 wolf, mosquito eater (or skeeter eater), soldier , gallon-nipper,[1] and 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).

Contents

Morphology

Close-up of the head of a crane-fly: notice the mouth parts, the compound eyes and the antennae
Close-up of the thorax of a crane-fly.

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 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 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 Tipulinae

See also

References

  1. ^ a b Dictionary of American Regional English. http://books.google.com/books?id=vAr2T4Bh7nkC&pg=PA620&lpg=PA620&dq=gollywhopper+-wikipedia+%22crane+fly%22&source=bl&ots=yO7kfvT_wr&sig=br834TNyyx2l1eBkRPiypAZxpxg&hl=en&ei=OiGmSZG6OJqqtQPMrqT3Dw&sa=X&oi=book_result&resnum=3&ct=result#PPA620,M1. 
  2. ^ Crane Flies of Kentucky - University of Kentucky Entomology
  3. ^ Andrew Ward. Cricket's Strangest Matches (1998 ed.). Robson Books, London. p. 111. 

External links

Species lists


Wikimedia Foundation. 2010.

Игры ⚽ Поможем решить контрольную работу

Look at other dictionaries:

  • crane fly — crane fly, adj. any of numerous nonbiting insects constituting the family Tipulidae, inhabiting damp areas and resembling a large mosquito with extremely long legs. [1650 60] * * * Harmless, slow flying dipteran (family Tipulidae) usually found… …   Universalium

  • Crane fly — Crane Crane (kr[=a]n), n. [AS. cran; akin to D. & LG. craan, G. kranich, krahn (this in sense 2), Gr. ge ranos, L. grus, W. & Armor. garan, OSlav. zerav[i^], Lith. gerve, Icel. trani, Sw. trana, Dan. trane. [root]24. Cf. {Geranium}.] 1. (Zo[… …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • crane fly — plural crane flies n BrE a flying insect with long legs = ↑daddy longlegs …   Dictionary of contemporary English

  • crane fly — ► NOUN ▪ a slender two winged fly with very long legs; a daddy long legs …   English terms dictionary

  • crane fly — crane ,fly noun count a flying insect with very long legs …   Usage of the words and phrases in modern English

  • crane fly — crane′ fly n. ent any of numerous nonbiting insects constituting the family Tipulidae, resembling a large mosquito with long legs …   From formal English to slang

  • crane fly — n. any of a family (Tipulidae) of slender, mosquitolike dipterous flies with long legs …   English World dictionary

  • crane fly — noun long legged slender flies that resemble large mosquitoes but do not bite • Syn: ↑daddy longlegs • Hypernyms: ↑dipterous insect, ↑two winged insects, ↑dipteran, ↑dipteron • Member Holonyms: ↑ …   Useful english dictionary

  • crane fly — UK / US noun [countable] Word forms crane fly : singular crane fly plural crane flies a flying insect with very long legs …   English dictionary

  • crane fly — fly with thin long legs that resembles mosquito but does not sting …   English contemporary dictionary

Share the article and excerpts

Direct link
… Do a right-click on the link above
and select “Copy Link”