Limoniinae

Crane flies

Limoniinae

Temporal range: Late Triassic–Present

PreꞒ

Limonia nubeculosa
Scientific classification
Kingdom:  | Animalia
Phylum:  | Arthropoda
Class:  | Insecta
Order:  | Diptera
Family:  | Tipulidae
Subfamily:  | Limoniinae
Genera

see text

Diversity
ca. 150 genera

The Limoniinae are a paraphyletic assemblage of genera within the crane flies, Tipulidae, although they can usually be distinguished by the way the wings are held at rest. Limoniines usually hold/fold the wings along the back of the body, whereas other tipulids usually hold them out at right angles. Snow flies (genus: Chionea) such as Chionea scita have no wings at all.[1] Limoniines are also usually smaller than other tipulids, with some exceptions.[2]

Limoniinae are a very large assemblage with nearly 10,500 described species in 133 genera, and were historically treated as a subfamily, but their classification is in flux; numerous authors recently treated the group at the rank of family, but subsequent phylogenetic analyses revealed that the remaining groups of tipulids render the group paraphyletic.[3]

These flies are found in damp places throughout the world, and many species form dense swarms in suitable habitats.

Wing venation (Dicranomyia spp. and Dicranoptycha spp.)

Radio forks diagram

## Description[edit]

For terms see Morphology of Diptera

Limoniines are medium or small-sized, rarely large. The proboscis or rostrum lacks a beak. The apical segment of the maxillary palpi is short and never longer than subapical one. The antennae are, in most species, 14- or 16-segmented (rarely 6-, 10-, or 17-segmented), usually verticillate (whorls of trichia) and only exceptionally ctenidial or serrate (Rhipidia). There is a distinct V-shaped suture between the mesonotal prescutum and scutum (near the level of the wing bases). The wings are monochromatic or punctate and (in females more often than in males). sometimes shortened or reduced. The subcosta always fuses with the costa through Sc1. Radial vein R2 does not fuse with the costa, as in most other Tipulidae, but with radial vein R3. The radial sector Rs has one or two forks. Additional crossveins are sometimes present in cells r3 an1 and m. Cells m1 and d are often not present. The genitalia of males have large separated gonocoxis and one or two pairs of appendages which are sometimes greatly folded (Dicranomyia, etc.). The ovipositor of the female has sclerotized cerci.

## Biology[edit]

Mostly, larvae are aquatic or semi-aquatic. In comparison, most other Tipulidae larvae are terrestrial, though some are aquatic and found in huge numbers in lotic habitats like the limoniine larvae. Various species have evolved to feed on different food sources, so phytophagous, saprophagous, mycetophagous and predatory species occur.

Limoniines occupy a wide range of habitats and micro habitats: in earth rich in humus, in swamps and marshes, in leaf litter and in wet spots in woods (numerous genera and species); in soils with only moderate humus content along stream borders (Gonomyia Meigen, Rhabdomastix Skuse, Arctoconopa Alexander, Hesperoconopa Alexander); in dry to saturated decaying wood in streams, where the larvae feed on fungal mycelia (Gnophomyia Osten Sacken, Teucholabis Osten Sacken, Lipsothrix Loew); in decaying plant materials (various subgenera and species of Limonia), in woody and fleshy fungi (Limonia (Metalimnobia Matsumura); in fresh water, especially rapidly flowing streams (Antocha Osten Sacken, Hesperoconopa Alexander, Cryptolabis Osten Sacken); intertidal zones and brackish water (Limonia (Idioglochina Alexander, Limonia (Diuanomyia) Stephens); freshwater aquatic environment during the larval stage and nearby margin areas for pupation (Limonia Meigen, Thaumastoptera Mik, many Pediciini, Hexatomini, and Eriopterini); steep cliff faces supporting a constantly wet film of algae (some species of Limonia Meigen, Orimarga Osten Sacken Elliptera Schiner); in moist to wet cushions of mosses or liverworts growing on rocks or earth (various species).[4][5]

Phantolabis lacustris was the first tipulid species to be observed skating on the surface of water. It possesses morphological adaptations to allow for this phenomenon.[6]

## Species lists[edit]

* West Palaearctic including Russia
* Australasian/Oceanian
* Nearctic
* Japan

## Evolution[edit]

Limoniines are not particularly common in amber deposits, but a few finds (e.g. Tipunia intermedia Krzeminski & Ansorge, 1995 from the Upper Jurassic Solnhofen limestones) suggest the group has been extant since the Jurassic period.[7] Another specimen (Limonia dillonae) preserved in amber in the Raritan-Magothy Formation suggests limoniines have been extant since the Upper Cretaceous period.[8]

## Gallery[edit]

* Austrolimnophila ochracea

* Dicranoptycha fuscescens

* Eloeophila maculata

* Limnophila schranki

* Limonia nubeculosa

* Phylidorea ferruginea

* Gnophomyia tristissima

* Antocha saxicola mating

## See also[edit]

* List of limoniid genera

## References[edit]

1. ^ Byers, G. (1983). "Crane fly genus Chionea in North America". The University of Kansas Science Bulletin. 52 (6): 59–195.
2. ^ Watson, L. "Insects of Britain and Ireland: Diptera families - Limoniidae". www.delta-intkey.com. Retrieved 6 December 2021.
3. ^ Petersen, Matthew J.; Bertone, Matthew A.; Wiegmann, Brian M.; Courtney, Gregory W. (2010). "Phylogenetic synthesis of morphological and molecular data reveals new insights into the higher-level classification of Tipuloidea (Diptera)". Systematic Entomology. 35 (3): 526–545. doi:10.1111/j.1365-3113.2010.00524.x.
4. ^ Alexander C.P., Byers G.W. (1981) Tipulidae. in: McAlpine J.F. et al. (Ed.), Manual of Nearctic Diptera. Agriculture Canada, Ottawa, pp. 153–1902 ISBN 0660107317 pdf Archived 2013-12-01 at the Wayback Machine
5. ^ Ujvarosi, L., Poti T., 2006: Studies on the community structure of the Tipuloidea (Insecta, Diptera) assemblages of the După Luncă Marsh, Eastern Carpathians. Acta Biol. Debr. Oecol. Hung. 14: 253-262 pdf Archived 2014-01-16 at the Wayback Machine
6. ^ Bouchard, R. William; Gelhaus, Jon K. (1 March 2020). "First record of a skating crane fly: The unusual ecology, behavior, and morphology of Phantolabis lacustris (Alexander, 1938) (Diptera:Limoniidae) with descriptions of the immature stages". Freshwater Science. 39 (1): 86–100. doi:10.1086/707406. ISSN 2161-9549. S2CID 213549954.
7. ^ Krzeminski, Wieslaw (1995-01-01). "New Upper Jurassic Diptera (Limoniidae, Eoptychopteridae) from the Solnhofen Lithographic Limestone (Bavaria, Germany)". Stuttgart. Beitr. Naturk. B. 221: 1–6. Retrieved 2021-12-06.
8. ^ Gelhaus, Jon K.; Johnson, Ralph (1996). "First Record of Crane Flies (Tipulidae: Limoniinae) in Upper Cretaceous Amber from New Jersey, U.S.A." Transactions of the American Entomological Society. 122 (1): 55–65. ISSN 0002-8320. JSTOR 25078603.

* Description, ranked as family
* "Catalogue of the Craneflies of the World (Diptera, Tipuloidea: Pediciidae, Limoniidae, Cylindrotomidae, Tipulidae)". Naturalis Biodiversity Center.
* Fossil Diptera catalog
* Diptera.info Images
* Limoniidae at EOL images
* Photographic guide to species traditionally grouped as Limoniines.

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Limoniidae.

* v
* t
* e

Extant Diptera families

* Kingdom: Animalia
* Phylum: Arthropoda
* Class: Insecta
* Subclass: Pterygota
* Infraclass: Neoptera
* Superorder: Endopterygota

Suborder Nematocera

| Axymyiomorpha|

* Axymyiidae

|

| Culicomorpha|

| Culicoidea|

* Dixidae (meniscus midges)
* Corethrellidae (frog-biting midges)
* Chaoboridae (phantom midges)
* Culicidae (mosquitoes)

|

Chironomoidea|

* Thaumaleidae (solitary midges)
* Simuliidae (black flies)
* Ceratopogonidae (biting midges)
* Chironomidae (non-biting midges)

| Blephariceromorpha|

* Blephariceridae (net-winged midges)
* Deuterophlebiidae (mountain midges)
* Nymphomyiidae

|

| Bibionomorpha|

| Bibionoidea|

* Bibionidae (march flies, lovebugs)

|

Anisopodoidea|

* Anisopodidae (wood gnats)

Sciaroidea
(fungus gnats)|

* Bolitophilidae
* Diadocidiidae
* Ditomyiidae
* Keroplatidae
* Mycetophilidae
* Sciaridae (dark-winged fungus gnats)
* Cecidomyiidae (gall midges)

Psychodomorpha|

| Scatopsoidea|

* Canthyloscelidae
* Perissommatidae
* Scatopsidae (minute black scavenger flies, or dung midges)
* Valeseguyidae

|

Psychodoidea|

* Psychodidae (moth flies)

| Ptychopteromorpha|

* Ptychopteridae (phantom crane flies)
* Tanyderidae (primitive crane flies)

|

| Tipulomorpha|

| Trichoceroidea|

* Trichoceridae (winter crane flies)

|

Tipuloidea|

* Pediciidae (hairy-eyed craneflies)
* Tipulidae (crane flies)

Suborder Brachycera

| Asilomorpha|

| Asiloidea|

* Apioceridae (flower-loving flies)
* Apsilocephalidae
* Apystomyiidae
* Asilidae (robber flies)
* Bombyliidae (bee flies)
* Evocoidae
* Hilarimorphidae (hilarimorphid flies)
* Mydidae (mydas flies)
* Mythicomyiidae
* Scenopinidae (window flies)
* Therevidae (stiletto flies)

|

Empidoidea|

* Atelestidae
* Dolichopodidae (long-legged flies)
* Empididae (dagger flies, balloon flies)
* Homalocnemiidae
* Hybotidae (dance flies)
* Oreogetonidae
* Ragadidae

Nemestrinoidea|

* Acroceridae (small-headed flies)
* Nemestrinidae (tangle-veined flies)

Muscomorpha|

| Aschiza|

| Platypezoidea|

* Ironomyiidae (ironic flies)
* Lonchopteridae (spear-winged flies)
* Opetiidae (flat-footed flies)
* Phoridae (scuttle flies, coffin flies, humpbacked flies)
* Platypezidae (flat-footed flies)

|

Syrphoidea|

* Pipunculidae (big-headed flies)
* Syrphidae (hoverflies)

| Schizophora|

| Acalyptratae|

| Conopoidea|

* Conopidae (thick-headed flies)

|

Tephritoidea|

* Pallopteridae (flutter flies)
* Piophilidae (cheese flies)
* Platystomatidae (signal flies)
* Pyrgotidae
* Richardiidae
* Tephritidae (peacock flies)
* Ulidiidae (picture-winged flies)

Nerioidea|

* Cypselosomatidae
* Micropezidae (stilt-legged flies)
* Neriidae (cactus flies, banana stalk flies)

Diopsoidea|

* Diopsidae (stalk-eyed flies)
* Gobryidae
* Megamerinidae
* Nothybidae
* Psilidae (rust flies)
* Somatiidae
* Strongylophthalmyiidae
* Syringogastridae
* Tanypezidae

Sciomyzoidea|

* Coelopidae (kelp flies)
* Dryomyzidae
* Helcomyzidae
* Helosciomyzidae
* Heterocheilidae
* Huttoninidae
* Natalimyzidae
* Phaeomyiidae
* Ropalomeridae
* Sciomyzidae (marsh flies)
* Sepsidae (black scavenger flies)

Sphaeroceroidea|

* Chyromyidae
* Heleomyzidae
* Nannodastiidae
* Sphaeroceridae (small dung flies)

Lauxanioidea|

* Celyphidae (beetle-backed flies)
* Chamaemyiidae (aphid flies)
* Cremifaniidae
* Lauxaniidae

Opomyzoidea|

* Agromyzidae (leaf miner flies)
* Anthomyzidae
* Asteiidae
* Aulacigastridae (sap flies)
* Clusiidae (lekking, or druid flies)
* Fergusoninidae
* Marginidae
* Neminidae
* Neurochaetidae (upside-down flies)
* Odiniidae
* Opomyzidae
* Periscelididae
* Teratomyzidae
* Xenasteiidae

Ephydroidea|

* Camillidae
* Curtonotidae (quasimodo flies)
* Diastatidae (bog flies)
* Drosophilidae (vinegar and fruit flies)
* Ephydridae (shore flies)
* Mormotomyiidae (frightful hairy fly)

Carnoidea|

* Acartophthalmidae
* Australimyzidae
* Braulidae (bee lice)
* Canacidae (beach flies)
* Carnidae
* Chloropidae (frit flies)
* Inbiomyiidae
* Milichiidae (freeloader flies)

Lonchaeoidea|

* Cryptochetidae
* Lonchaeidae (lance flies)

Calyptratae|

| Muscoidea|

* Anthomyiidae (cabbage flies)
* Fanniidae (little house flies)
* Muscidae (house flies, stable flies)
* Scathophagidae (dung flies)

|

Oestroidea|

* Calliphoridae (blow-flies: bluebottles, greenbottles)
* Mesembrinellidae
* Mystacinobiidae (New Zealand batfly)
* Oestridae (botflies)
* Rhiniidae
* Rhinophoridae
* Sarcophagidae (flesh flies)
* Tachinidae (tachina flies)
* Ulurumyiidae

Hippoboscoidea|

* Glossinidae (tsetse flies)
* Hippoboscidae (louse flies)
* Nycteribiidae (bat flies)
* Streblidae (bat flies)

| Stratiomyomorpha|

| Stratiomyoidea|

* Pantophthalmidae (timber flies)
* Stratiomyidae (soldier flies)
* Xylomyidae (wood soldier flies)

|

Tabanomorpha|

| Rhagionoidea|

* Austroleptidae
* Bolbomyiidae
* Rhagionidae (snipe flies)

|

Tabanoidea|

* Athericidae (water snipe flies)
* Oreoleptidae
* Pelecorhynchidae
* Tabanidae (horse and deer flies)

Vermileonomorpha|

| Vermileonoidea|

* Vermileonidae

|

Xylophagomorpha|

| Xylophagoidea|

* Xylophagidae (awl flies)

|

List of families of Diptera

Taxon identifiers|

* Wikidata: Q1931024
* Wikispecies: Limoniidae
* AFD: Limoniidae
* BioLib: 17386
* BOLD: 237246
* BugGuide: 14937
* CoL: C39
* EoL: 466
* Fauna Europaea: 11634
* Fauna Europaea (new): 63c61a25-f21b-461e-89bb-809449134084
* Fossilworks: 139794
* GBIF: 5580
* iNaturalist: 47992
* IRMNG: 106810
* NBN: NBNSYS0100003763
* NCBI: 43823
* WoRMS: 150932

|

*[v]: View this template
*[t]: Discuss this template
*[e]: Edit this template