The Crane-Flies of New York — Part II 975 



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fails to substantiate the validity of these groups, and, for the present 

 at least, or until other and better characters may be found, it is better 

 to eliminate the Dolichopezini and the Ctenophorini, founded, as they 

 are, on insufficient or sexual characters. 



The species of the Tipulinae include the largest crane-flies known, some 

 exotic species of Ctenacroscelis attaining a wing expanse of nearly 10 

 centimeters. In North America the largest species are representatives 

 of the genera Longurio and Holorusia. The great majority of the species 

 in this subfamily are well above the average in size, this feature alone 

 being sufficient to eliminate all but a very few of the other groups of 

 Tipulidae. The smallest member of the subfamily Tipulinae known to 

 the writer is Microtipula aniazonica Alex., of Brazil, in which the wing of 

 the male measures but 7.2 milhmeters in length and is very long and 

 narrow. Practically all of the common local species of this group belong 

 to the two genera Tipula and Nephrotoma. 



The immature stages of members of the subfamily Tipulidae are found 

 in a wide range of habitats. Some species of Tipula are almost entirely 

 aquatic in the larval state. The majority of the known species live in 

 moist earth near water, or beneath damp cushions of moss. Some, such 

 as Oropeza, live in much drier mosses on exposed rocks. A rather con- 

 siderable number of species (Brachypremna, Ctenophora, Dictenidia, and 

 several species of Tipula) live in decaying wood or beneath the bark of 

 prostrate trunks. Tanyptera lives in wood which is relatively sound, 

 and this represents the extreme development of this tendency in the 

 family. 



The larvae are never very slender, and are usually very plump and 

 terete. In a few cases only is the body decidedly depressed. There is 

 a definite arrangement of setae on the body, there being none on the 

 anterior annulus of the abdominal segments except a single seta on the 

 pleura of either side. The spiracular disk is surrounded by six lobes, 

 a number not found in the Limnobiinae. In DoUchopeza the number 

 is described as being five, the normal number in the Eriopterini, but 

 all other features of the genus are essentially tipuline. In a few species 

 the numl)er of lobes is increased to eight. In the genus Tanyptera the 

 lobes are exceedingly reduced in size so that the caudal end appears almost 

 naked and exposed. The spiracles are always present and in some cases 

 are very large. The anal gills are almost always present and are variously 



