common crane flies

(Tipula subg. Pterelachisus)

Overview
common crane fly (Tipula subg. Pterelachisus)
Photo by Babette Kis
 

Pterelachisus is a species rich subgenus of common crane flies within the genus Tipula. All species occur in the northern hemisphere. There are 204 species and subspecies in the subgenus worldwide, 40 species and subspecies in North America north of Mexico. At least 4 species occur in the United States, and at least 1 species occurs in Minnesota.

Pterelachisus species are terrestrial. Adults are mostly found in forests, but they can also be found in grasslands, in wetlands, and even in arctic habitats. They are usually found near bodies of water. The larvae are aquatic, and are found in soil, leaf litter, or aquatic environments.

 
 

Adults are weak, slow fliers. They are often seen resting on vegetation.

 
     
 
Description
 
 

Pterelachisus are about to 1¼ (15 to 30 mm) in length. That is large for a crane fly and among the largest in the genus Tipula. They are typically brown, gray, or a combination of these colors.

The head is small, the compound eyes are large, and the tube-like beak (proboscis) containing the mouthparts is short. The antennae have 13 to 15 segments. They are slender and long, on some species longer than the head.

The thorax is slightly humped. It has a distinct, V-shaped groove (suture) on top near the wing bases.

The abdomen is long and slender, and it has a few dark bands.

The legs are very long and slender. The third segment (femur) on the hind legs is particularly long.

The wings are large and transparent, and they have a few dark spots.

 
     
 
Distribution
 
 

Distribution Map

 

Sources

29, 30, 82, 83.

 
  9/7/2023      
         
 
Taxonomy
 
 

Order

Diptera (flies)  
 

Suborder

Nematocera (long-horned flies)  
 

Infraorder

Tipulomorpha (crane flies)  
 

Superfamily

Tipuloidea (typical crane flies)  
 

Family

Tipulidae (large crane flies)  
 

Subfamily

Tipulinae  
  Genus Tipula (common crane flies)  
       
 

Subordinate Taxa

 
 

common crane fly Tipula aka

common crane fly Tipula albertensis

common crane fly Tipula alcestis

common crane fly Tipula alta

common crane fly Tipula aluco

common crane fly Tipula angulata

common crane fly Tipula apicispina

common crane fly Tipula aspoecki

common crane fly Tipula austriaca

common crane fly Tipula autumna

common crane fly Tipula badakhensis

common crane fly Tipula bakeri

common crane fly Tipula banffiana

common crane fly Tipula bellardiana

common crane fly Tipula berteii

common crane fly Tipula biaciculifera

common crane fly Tipula bilobata

common crane fly Tipula brindleana

common crane fly Tipula brunnicosta

common crane fly Tipula camillerii

common crane fly Tipula carinifrons

common crane fly Tipula cavagnaroi

common crane fly Tipula cayollensis

common crane fly Tipula cineracea

common crane fly Tipula cinereocincta

common crane fly Tipula clinata

common crane fly Tipula coleana

common crane fly Tipula crassicornis

common crane fly Tipula crassiventris

common crane fly Tipula crawfordi

common crane fly Tipula cruciata

common crane fly Tipula curvistylus

common crane fly Tipula daitenjoensis

common crane fly Tipula derbecki

common crane fly Tipula diflava

common crane fly Tipula digesta

common crane fly Tipula dolomitensis

common crane fly Tipula edwardsella

common crane fly Tipula entomophthorae

common crane fly Tipula excetra

common crane fly Tipula famula

common crane fly Tipula fautrix

common crane fly Tipula flavocostalis

common crane fly Tipula futilis

common crane fly Tipula garuda

common crane fly Tipula geisha

common crane fly Tipula gelida

common crane fly Tipula gemula

common crane fly Tipula glacialis

common crane fly Tipula gredosi

common crane fly Tipula haplorhabda

common crane fly Tipula harutai

common crane fly Tipula helvocincta

common crane fly Tipula hewitti

common crane fly Tipula hibii

common crane fly Tipula hirsutipes

common crane fly Tipula hispida

common crane fly Tipula hollandi

common crane fly Tipula hoogerwerfi

common crane fly Tipula horningi

common crane fly Tipula huntsmaniana

common crane fly Tipula huron

common crane fly Tipula hylaea

common crane fly Tipula icarus

common crane fly Tipula idahoensis

common crane fly Tipula ignoscens

common crane fly Tipula illegitima

common crane fly Tipula imbellis

common crane fly Tipula imitator

common crane fly Tipula incurva

common crane fly Tipula ingenua

common crane fly Tipula interposita

common crane fly Tipula irregularis

common crane fly Tipula irrorata

common crane fly Tipula ishiharana

common crane fly Tipula jedoensis

common crane fly Tipula jenseni

common crane fly Tipula jutlandica

common crane fly Tipula kaisilai

common crane fly Tipula katmaiensis

common crane fly Tipula kaulbackiana

common crane fly Tipula kirbyana

common crane fly Tipula kuatunensis

common crane fly Tipula kurilensis

common crane fly Tipula lacunosa

common crane fly Tipula laetabunda

common crane fly Tipula laetibasis

common crane fly Tipula laetissima

common crane fly Tipula latiflava

common crane fly Tipula legalis

common crane fly Tipula leucopalassa

common crane fly Tipula leucosema

common crane fly Tipula limbinervis

common crane fly Tipula luridorostris

common crane fly Tipula luteobasalis

common crane fly Tipula maaiana

common crane fly Tipula macarta

common crane fly Tipula macrostyla

common crane fly Tipula malaisei

common crane fly Tipula mandan

common crane fly Tipula margarita

common crane fly Tipula matsumuriana

common crane fly Tipula mayerduerii

common crane fly Tipula mcdonaldi

common crane fly Tipula meijerella

common crane fly Tipula middendorffi

common crane fly Tipula mitophora

common crane fly Tipula mono

common crane fly Tipula mupinensis

common crane fly Tipula mutila

common crane fly Tipula mutiloides

common crane fly Tipula mystax

common crane fly Tipula neurotica

common crane fly Tipula niitakensis

common crane fly Tipula nudicellula

common crane fly Tipula obnata

common crane fly Tipula ochotana

common crane fly Tipula octomaculata

common crane fly Tipula osellai

common crane fly Tipula pabulina

common crane fly Tipula padana

common crane fly Tipula pauli

common crane fly Tipula pedicellaris

common crane fly Tipula penobscot

common crane fly Tipula percara

common crane fly Tipula pertenuis

common crane fly Tipula phaeopasta

common crane fly Tipula phryne

common crane fly Tipula pieli

common crane fly Tipula pingi

common crane fly Tipula plitviciensis

common crane fly Tipula polaruralensis

common crane fly Tipula pollex

common crane fly Tipula pontica

common crane fly Tipula procliva

common crane fly Tipula pseudobiaciculifera

common crane fly Tipula pseudocrassiventris

common crane fly Tipula pseudoirrorata

common crane fly Tipula pseudopruinosa

common crane fly Tipula pseudotruncorum

common crane fly Tipula pseudovariipennis

common crane fly Tipula ranee

common crane fly Tipula recondita

common crane fly Tipula resupina

common crane fly Tipula sauteri

common crane fly Tipula savionis

common crane fly Tipula sequoicola

common crane fly Tipula seticellula

common crane fly Tipula sharva

common crane fly Tipula shomio

common crane fly Tipula shoshone

common crane fly Tipula sibiriensis

common crane fly Tipula simondsi

common crane fly Tipula spathifera

common crane fly Tipula stenostyla

common crane fly Tipula striatipennis

common crane fly Tipula strictura

common crane fly Tipula subfasciata

common crane fly Tipula subfutilis

common crane fly Tipula subglacialis

common crane fly Tipula sublimata

common crane fly Tipula submarmorata

common crane fly Tipula submutila

common crane fly Tipula sunda

common crane fly Tipula taikun

common crane fly Tipula teleutica

common crane fly Tipula ternaria

common crane fly Tipula tetramelania

common crane fly Tipula trichopleura

common crane fly Tipula tridentata

common crane fly Tipula trifascingulata

common crane fly Tipula tristriata

common crane fly Tipula trivittata

common crane fly Tipula truncorum

common crane fly Tipula trupheoneura

common crane fly Tipula tshernovskii

common crane fly Tipula tundrensis

common crane fly Tipula uenoi

common crane fly Tipula variata

common crane fly Tipula varipennis

common crane fly Tipula vayu

common crane fly Tipula vermiculata

common crane fly Tipula vitiosa

common crane fly Tipula vivax

common crane fly Tipula wahlgreni

common crane fly Tipula wardiana

common crane fly Tipula wiedemanniana

common crane fly Tipula winthemi

common crane fly Tipula wuana

common crane fly Tipula yasumatsuana

 
       
 

Synonyms

 
 

 

 
       
 

Common Names

 
 

This subgenus has no common name. The common name of the genus Tipula is common crane flies, and it is applied here for convenience.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Glossary

Femur

On insects and arachnids, the third, largest, most robust segment of the leg, coming immediately before the tibia. On humans, the thigh bone.

 

Proboscis

The tube-like protruding mouthpart(s) of a sucking insect.

 

 

 

 

 

 
 
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Babette Kis

 
 

Tipula subgenus Pterelachisus large cranefly

Tipula subgenus Pterelachisus, large cranefly, Barnes Prairie, Racine Co., WI, photo taken May 27, 2021.

  common crane fly (Tipula subg. Pterelachisus)  
           
    common crane fly (Tipula subg. Pterelachisus)      
           
 
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  Babette Kis
5/27/2021

Location: Barnes Prairie, Racine Co., WI

Tipula subgenus Pterelachisus, large cranefly, Barnes Prairie, Racine Co., WI, photo taken May 27, 2021.

common crane fly (Tipula subg. Pterelachisus)

 
           
 
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Created: 9/7/2023

Last Updated:

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