Tipula
Tipula is a very large insect genus in the fly family Tipulidae (crane flies). The members of this genus are sometimes collectively called common crane flies. Tipula contains over 2,000 species located throughout the world.
Like all crane flies, Tipula species have long bodies and long legs, somewhat resembling large mosquitos. Adults generally have a body length of 15–20 mm. They are usually brown with clear or brownish wings, although many species (especially in the subgenera Savtshenkia and Pterelachisus) instead have mottled wings, and some species of Lunatipula are orange instead of brown. They feed on nectar and are often active throughout the year, although many species only emerge as adults for a few months. Tipula maggots are sometimes known as "leather jackets" due to their tough skin.
Technical description: Discal cell present; M3 arises from M4; all tibiae spurred Antennae with whorls of long hairs. Rs usually long; Sc ends far from base of Rs; cell 4 always petiolate; body colour usually grey, brown or dull yellow, rarely black; praescutal stripes (when present) usually dull, rarely slightly shining.[citation needed]
Species of Tipula can be affected by fungal diseases, such as Zoophthora porteri, found in Tennessee, USA.
Species
Gallery
Larva
T. bicornis, male
from Sri Lanka
T. rufina, Wales
References
- 1 2 Will, Kip; Gross, Joyce; Rubinoff, Daniel; Powell, Jerry A. (2020). Field Guide to California Insects. Oakland, California: University of California Press. pp. 270–272. ISBN 9780520288744.
- ↑ "Genus Tipula". bugguide.net. Retrieved 2022-12-22.
- ↑ Hajek, Ann E.; Gryganskyi, Andrii; Bittner, Tonya; Liebherr, James K.; Liebherr, Jonathan H.; Bruun Jensen, Annette; Moulton, John K.; Humber, Richard A. (October 2016). "Phylogenetic placement of two species known only from resting spores: Zoophthora independentia sp. nov. and Z. porteri comb nov. (Entomophthorales: Entomophthoraceae)". J Invertebr Pathol. 140: 68–74. Bibcode:2016JInvP.140...68H. doi:10.1016/j.jip.2016.09.002. PMID 27637932.