Trichoceridae
Encyclopedia
Trichoceridae, or winter crane flies, of the order Diptera
are long, thin, delicate insects superficially similar in appearance to the Tipulidae, Tanyderidae
, and Ptychopteridae
. The presence of ocelli distinguishes the Trichoceridae from these other families
. The adults can be found flying in the fall and the spring and some are active even in the winter, hence their common name. Adults can also be found resting inside caves and hollow logs. Larva
e occur in moist habitats where they feed on decaying vegetable matter.
Diptera
Diptera , or true flies, is the order of insects possessing only a single pair of wings on the mesothorax; the metathorax bears a pair of drumstick like structures called the halteres, the remnants of the hind wings. It is a large order, containing an estimated 240,000 species, although under half...
are long, thin, delicate insects superficially similar in appearance to the Tipulidae, Tanyderidae
Tanyderidae
Tanyderidae, or primitive crane flies, of the order Diptera are long, thin, delicate insects with spotted wings, superficially similar in appearance to some Tipulidae, Trichoceridae, and Ptychopteridae. Most species are restricted in distribution...
, and Ptychopteridae
Ptychopteridae
Ptychopteridae, the phantom crane flies, is a small family of nematocerous Diptera. Superficially similar in appearance to other "tipuloid" families, they lack the ocelli of Trichoceridae, the 5-branched radial vein of Tanyderidae, and the two anal veins that reach the wing margin of Tipulidae...
. The presence of ocelli distinguishes the Trichoceridae from these other families
Family (biology)
In biological classification, family is* a taxonomic rank. Other well-known ranks are life, domain, kingdom, phylum, class, order, genus, and species, with family fitting between order and genus. As for the other well-known ranks, there is the option of an immediately lower rank, indicated by the...
. The adults can be found flying in the fall and the spring and some are active even in the winter, hence their common name. Adults can also be found resting inside caves and hollow logs. Larva
Larva
A larva is a distinct juvenile form many animals undergo before metamorphosis into adults. Animals with indirect development such as insects, amphibians, or cnidarians typically have a larval phase of their life cycle...
e occur in moist habitats where they feed on decaying vegetable matter.
