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 Major Groups | Insecta (insects) | Diptera (true flies) | Tanyderidae
 

Tanyderidae

Major Group: Insecta
Order:
Diptera
Family:
Tanyderidae

Descriptive Features:

  • head capsule always complete, not retractile into thorax
  • mandibles usually with several teeth
  • abdomen 9-segmented
  • posterior of body with 3 pairs of elongate filaments
  • prolegs only on posterior segment, bearing circlet of short spines and apical bunch of long claws (amphipneustic)
  • Total length:
    •  

      Tanyderidae

      Taxonomic Checklist: Species
      Eutanyderus oreonympha
      Alexander
      Eutanyderus wilsoni Alexander
      Nothoderus australiensis Alexander (larva unknown)
      Radinoderus dorrigensis Alexander (larva unknown)
      Radinoderus occidentalis Alexander (larva unknown)
      Radinoderus terraereginae Alexander (larva unknown)

      Distribution: NSW, Vic, Tas, WA, Qld.
      Eutanyderus oreonympha and Radinoderus dorrigensis are endemic to NSW. Eutanyderus wilsoni is endemic to NSW, Vic. Nothoderus australiensis is endemic to Tas. Radinoderus occidentalis is endemic to WA. Radinoderus terraereginae is endemic to Qld.

      Sensitivity Rating: SIGNAL grade 6

      Functional Feeding Group: shredders?

       

      Pipers Creek in Kosciusko NP, NSW

      Ecology: Tanyderidae species, commonly known as ‘crane flies’, are rare and only Eutanyderus larvae are known in Australia.
      Instream habitat: Eutanyderus larvae bore into the surface of submerged rotting logs in alpine streams. Records of northern hemisphere species indicate that other Australian genera might be associated with boulders and cobbles in unpolluted streams.
      Feeding ecology: The feeding mechanism is unknown but larvae are possibly gougers or shredders given their habit of boring into rotting logs.
      Habit:
      Life history: North American species have one or two generations per year and the adults are usually present during the spring and summer.

       

      Information Sources: Colless & McAlpine 1991, Bugledich 1997, 1999, Gooderham & Tsyrlin 2002, Cranston 1995, Merritt & Cummins 1996
      Key to Genera: none
      Key to Species: none