Tipulidae

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Common Name

Cranefly Larvae

Scientific Name

Phylum

Arthropoda

Class

Insecta

Order

Diptera

Family

Tipulidae

Lab Storage

Feeding

Primarily shredder-detrivores and collector-gatherers, but some engulfer-predators. Some species use specialized mandibles to feed on algae, bacteria, and diatoms found on solid surfaces. Others use mandibles to kill and consume invertebrates.

Water Quality Tolerance

Range from facultative to sensitive and tolerant. The large Tipulidae family allows for a wide range of tolerance.

Fact

10-25mm, range 3-100mm. The head is not visible. At the end of the abdomen, two spiracles are surrounded by pairs of short, fleshy lobes that often have a fringe of hair. For more photos, refer to our online gallery: tinyurl.com/wtwpuyy

Habitat

Lentic-littoral, lotic-erosional, and lotic-depositional. Different species inhabit aquatic, semi-aquatic or terrestrial areas with stones, leaf packs, wood debris, sand, gravel, and algae mats. Some live in algae scum on rocks, rich mud, and damp decaying vegetation on the edges of water habitats.

References

Voshell & Wright. 2002.