| Tipula of the Yamatotipula subgenus lateralis group (Tipula (Yamatotipula) gr lateralis (Meigen, 1830)) |
|
|
|
Scientific name: Tipula (Yamatotipula) gr lateralis (Meigen, 1830) Common name: Tipula of the Yamatotipula subgenus lateralis group French name: Tipules du sous-genre Yamatotipula groupe lateralis Order: Diptera Family: Tipulidae Wingspan : 14 to 22 mm. Biotope: Water meadows, damp woodlands. Geographic area: Observation period : April to October. |
Tipulidae, also called Crane Flies, are remarkable by their very long and fragile legs which can easily detach from the body. You can recognize the members of the Tipulidae family by the V-shape suture of the mesonotum, on the upper side of the thorax between the base of the wings, by their long snout and by they wing veins with two anal veins reaching the edge of the wing. The Crane flies of the Tipula genus are characterized by the sub-costal vein joining the radial vein (Tipulinae family), by the presence of a discal cell, by long legs and by thread-like antennae with 13 articles. Crane flies of the lateralis group are part of those with spotted wings. The wings show a whitish lunule just before the stigma. The antennae are dark coloured. The cubital vein is shaded. There is a pale longitudinal stripe on the upper side of the abdomen. The segments show light coloured edges. The thorax bears three wide brownish grey bands. There is a thin longitudinal black line on the middle band, starting just behind the eyes. This line is typical of the Yamatotipula sub-genus. The lateral bands are thinly outlined with black. The identification of the different species of this group requires an exam of the genitalia. |
| [To know more about the Tipula of the Yamatotipula subgenus lateralis group] [Next picture] [Top] |
|
Unfortunately I have not measured the size if this Crane fly which, as far as I remember, appeared to me of a rather large size. |
| [To know more about the Tipula of the Yamatotipula subgenus lateralis group] [Next picture] [Previous picture] [Top] |
|
This view of the wing shows the cubital vein shaded on the whole length on the costal side only. This leads to Tipula (Yamatotipula) montium according the key from Pierre (Faune de France book number 08). However I have never seen this criteria mentioned on all the identification forums that I have browsed. It's true that this may be misleading, especially on pictures where you may see unwanted artefacts. |
| [To know more about the Tipula of the Yamatotipula subgenus lateralis group] [Next picture] [Previous picture] [Top] |
|
View of the head with the dark coloured articles of the antennae. |
| [To know more about the Tipula of the Yamatotipula subgenus lateralis group] [Previous picture] [Top] |
|
View of the abdomen. The pointed tip indicates one female. |
André Bon December 2016