188 CONNECTICUT GEOL. AND NAT. HIST, SUR\T3Y [Bllll. 



Family TRICHOCERIDAE 



by Charles P. Alexander, Ph. D. 

 Massachusetts State College 



1928. Trichoceridae. Edwards, Genera Tnsectorum, Fasc. 190 : 30-37. 



Antennae 16-segmented, the fiao-ellum elongate, setaceous, with 

 outer segmentation obscure. Labrum reduced. Ocelli three. Prae- 

 scutum without pseudosutural foveae; a distinct V-shaped suture be- 

 tween ]jraescutum and scutum; scutum flat, not separated from scu- 

 tellum b}^ a suture. Legs long and slender but not breaking readily as 

 in the Tipulidae; basitarsi (in local genera) elongate; tibial spurs 

 present. Wings (Fig. 20) with /S'ci long; cell Mi always present; m-cu 

 lying far distad; vein 3nd A short and curved in Trichocera, more 

 extended in Diazosma\ anterior arculus almost lost by atrophy, short- 

 ened by a caudad bend of R\ squama fringed Avith setae. Male hy- 

 popygium with a single dististyle, this latter usually simple, cylin- 

 drical, but sometimes complicated by basal tubercles or processes. 

 Ovipositor with cerci feebly sclerotized or fleshy; when elongate, the 

 curvature downward instead of upward, as normal for the Tipulidae. 



The family Trichoceridae includes the well-known "Winter 

 (iiiats*" or "Winter Crane-flies," not uncommon during t\\^ Fall and 

 Spring and likewise occurring out-of-doors on warm days in Winter, 

 flying about in sunlit places where the adults are found in small to 

 larger swarms. The adult flies may also be found in cellars, caverns, 

 mines and similar darkened retreats. The immature stages live in de- 

 caying vegetable matter, as beneath rotted leaves, in stored roots and 

 tubers, in fungi, and in similar haunts showing organic decay. The 

 immature stages have been well-discussed in literature (Keilin, Bull. 

 Scieiit. France et Belgique, (T) 46: 172-191, pis. 5-8; 1912. Alexan- 

 der, Cfls. N. Y., 2: 789-791, pi. 19; 1920. Ehynehart, Belfast Nat. 

 Hist. & Philosoph. Soc, 102: 1-14, 3 pis.; 1925. Edwards (Keilin), 

 Genera Insectorum, 190:31-32, pi. 2, figs. 14-18; 1928). 



Key to Genera 



1. Vein 2nd A long, subsinuous, not suddenly bent into anal angle of wing; eyes 



glabrous ; ovipositor with ceri very short and fleshy Diazosma 



Vein 2nd A short, strongly curved into the anal margin of wing (Fig. 20) : 

 eyes with dense setae between the ommatidia; ovipositor with cerci sclero- 

 tized, with the curvature downward Trichocera 



Diazosma Bergroth 



1880. Tiichoptera Strobl; Progr. Gymn. Seitenstetten, j). 64 (preoc- 



cupied). 



1881. Diazovia Wallengren; Ent. Tidskr., 2: 180 (preoccupied). 

 1913. Diazosnia Bergroth; Ann. Mag. Nat. Hist., (8) 11: 583. 



Diazosma subsinuata (Alex.) 



1915. Trichocera {Diazosma) siihsiimata Alexander; Journ. N. Y. 

 Ent. Soc, 24 : 124. 



