RECORDS OF JAPANESE CRANE-FLIES (DIPTERA). 



By Charles P. Alexander, 

 University of Kansas, Lawrence, Kansas. 



The crane-fly fauna of Japan is a very interesting one but 

 much remains to be ascertained before we can possess a clear 

 conception of the actual faunal constituents of the islands. The 

 published records are grievously incomplete and comparatively 

 few extensive collections have been made. Some years ago 

 (Canadian Entomologist, July, 1913, — July, 1914) the writer 

 published a series of six papers on this subject. Since that 

 time additional material has come to hand principally through 

 the kindness of Dr. Akio Nohira and Dr. T. Miyake and the 

 more interesting records included in this material are given 

 herewith to supplement our knowledge of distribution. A few 

 Limnobiinae are redescribed in order to make their descriptions 

 more available to American students, the original descriptions 

 having been published in Japan in a publication not readily 

 accessible to all students. 



As is to be expected a large proportion of the known Japanese 

 crane-flies are referrable to genera that are characteristically 

 Holarctic (Limnobia, Tricyphona, Eiitonia, Crypteria, Liogma, 

 etc.). Others are referrable to groups with a wide or cosmo- 

 politan distribution {Dicranomyia, Geranomyia, Discohola, Eri- 

 optera, Gonomyia, Eriocera, Nephrotoma, Tipuld, etc.). A con- 

 siderable element is clearly derived from the Oriental fauna 

 through migrations from the south {Lihnotes, Conosia, Nesopeza, 

 Ctenacroscelis, etc.). The very interesting relationship of the 

 fauna and flora of Japan and the Eastern United States, strik- 

 ingly shown in many widely-separated groups of plants and 

 animals is indicated in the Tipulidas by the genus Oropeza Need- 

 ham, at present known only from the eastern States and Japan. 

 The subgenus Hoplolahis {Erioptera) indicates a somewhat similar 

 condition although representatives also occur in the western 

 States. • 



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