A crane fly is any member of the dipteran superfamily Tipuloidea, which contains the living families Cylindrotomidae, Limoniidae, Pediciidae and Tipulidae, as well as several extinct families. "Winter crane flies", members of the family Trichoceridae, are sufficiently different from the typical crane flies of Tipuloidea to be excluded from the superfamily Tipuloidea, and are placed as their sister group within Tipulomorpha.
The Nematocera are a suborder of elongated flies with thin, segmented antennae and mostly aquatic larvae. This group is paraphyletic and contains all flies but species from suborder Brachycera, which includes more commonly known species such as the housefly or the common fruit fly. Families in Nematocera include mosquitoes, crane flies, gnats, black flies, and multiple families commonly known as midges. The Nematocera typically have fairly long, fine, finely-jointed antennae. In many species, such as most mosquitoes, the female antennae are more or less threadlike, but the males have spectacularly plumose antennae.
Carl Robert Osten-Sacken or Carl-Robert Romanovich, Baron von der Osten-Sacken, Baron Osten Sacken was a Russian diplomat and entomologist. He served as the Russian consul general in New York City during the American Civil War, living in the United States from 1856 to 1877. He worked on the taxonomy of flies in general and particularly of the family Tipulidae.
Limoniidae is the largest of four crane fly families, with more than 10,700 species in more than 150 genera. Some studies have suggested it to be a paraphyletic group, with some limoniids being more closely related to Tipulidae and Cylindrotomidae than to other limoniids. Limoniid crane flies can usually be distinguished by the way the wings are held at rest. Limoniids usually hold/fold the wings along the back of the body, whereas other crane flies usually hold them out at right angles. Snow flies such as Chionea scita have no wings at all. Limoniids are also usually smaller than other crane flies, with some exceptions.
The Chioneinae are a subfamily of limoniid crane flies.
Ctenophora is a genus of true crane flies. The species are large, shiny black craneflies with large yellow, orange, or red markings to mimic wasps. Males have comb-like antennae. The larvae are saproxylic. The species are confined to old deciduous forests, orchards, and other habitats with continuity of the presence of dying and fallen trees. Ctenophora species are important bioindicators.
Dactylolabis is a genus of crane flies in the family Limoniidae. It is placed in its own subfamily, Dactylolabinae. Dactylolabis contains the following species:
Dicranoptycha is a genus of crane fly in the family Limoniidae.
Discobola is a genus of crane fly in the family Limoniidae.
Idioptera is a genus of crane fly in the family Limoniidae.
Ula is a genus of crane flies in the family Pediciidae.
The Cylindrotomidae or long-bodied craneflies are a family of crane flies. More than 65 extant species in 9 genera occur worldwide. There are more than 20 extinct species.
Nephrotoma is a genus of crane flies.
The Ctenophorinae are a subfamily of Tipulidae, the true crane flies. Most species are large, colourful crane flies.
Tipulinae is a subfamily of crane flies. It contains the typical crane flies from the genus Tipula.
Eriopterini is a tribe of limoniid crane flies in the family Limoniidae. There are more than 20 genera and 3,800 described species in Eriopterini.
Limoniinae is a subfamily of limoniid crane flies in the family Limoniidae. There are more than 30 genera and 3,700 described species in Limoniinae, found worldwide.
