796 AN INTRODUCTION TO ENTOMOLOGY 



Family TANYDERID^ 



The Primitive Crane-flies 



This family is of especial interest as it includes the most general- 

 ized of living crane-flies. It is a small family, only ten species repre- 

 senting three genera being known. Of these a single genus, Proto- 

 plasa, represented by three species, has been found in North America. 

 Protoplasa vipio and Protoplasa vanduzeei are found in the West and 

 Protoplasa fitchii, in the East. 



The life-history of no member of this family is known. Alexander 

 ('20) described what is probably the larva of Protoplasa fitchii. It 

 was found in a much decayed maple log in Fairfax County, Virginia. 



2d A 012 

 Fig. 1005. — Wing of Protoplasa fitchii. 



The venation of a wing of Protoplasa fitchii is represented by 

 figure 1005. The generalized condition of this wing is shown by the 

 following features ; both branches of vein Sc are preserved ; the forking 

 of the other branched veins is nearer the base of the wing than in the 

 typical crane-flies; and all of the branches of vein R are distinct. 



Family PTYCHOPTERID^ 



The Phantom Crane-fly Family 



This is a small family of which only six or seven species have been 

 found in our fauna; and of these only three are found in the East. 

 These flies differ from the typical crane-flies in having only one anal 

 vein preserved, and the transverse suture of the mesonotum is rather 

 poorly defined. 



The larvae are found in decaying vegetable matter rich in organic 

 mud, usually in swamps, swales, or wet meadows, but sometimes in 

 shaded woods. They feed on decaying vegetable matter, diatoms, 

 and the organic mud in which they live. 



