• Home
• Key to Larvae
• Checklist
• References
• Terms
• Aquatic Macros

Notes: Families Limoniidae and Pediciidae were recently split out of Tipulidae (Gelhaus & Podeniene, 2019). Ohio EPA does not carry most genera to species and are so listed.

1.         Spirical disk bordered by 6 lobes, ordinarily 2 dorsal, 2 dorsolateral, 2 below spiracles,                         lobes sort and blunt in some genera. Note: First instar larvae have 4 lobes (dorsal pair                         absent). . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Tipulidae, 2

            Spirical disk bordered by other than 6 lobes (7, 5, 4, 2 or 1 lobes); lobes in some                         genera reduced and scarcely evident; spiracles rarely absent. Limoniidae and Pediciidae, 5

2.         Posterior surfaces of spiracular lobes with little sclerotiaton and covered with short                         microscopic hairs; border of setae around spiracular lobes reduced or absent. . . . . . . . . . 3

            Posterior surfaces of piracular lobes sclerotized (smooth) and not covered in short                          microscopic hairs; border of setae around spiracular lobes ususally strongly developed. . . 4

3.         Usually 6 to 8 anal papillae, occassionally 4; all papillae wiwth distinctly narrowing                         apices; spiracular lobes with developed border of setae; all spiracular lobes usually similar
            in size and shape; lateral lobes equal to or smaller than ventral lobes; when closed, all
            lobes are against one another. Transverse swellings on dorsum and venter of each
            abdominal segment I-VII; two pairs of accessory lobes in addition to usual 6 spiracular
            lobes; all spiracular and accessory lobes with reduced border of setae; aquatic (leaf
            packs in streams). . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Tipula (Nippotipula) abdominalis

4.          Spiracular lobes long and slender, each 2-3 x as long as basal widths; ventral lobes
            longer than dorsal and lateral lobes. Three pairrs of elongate anal papillae present;
            lobes of spiracuar disc darkened along margins for entire length, but each with a
            thin submedian dark line. Abdomen with abundant macroscopic hairs and few
            microscopic hairs. Rare, one location reported by OEPA. . . . . . . . . . . Angarotipula sp.

5.         Spiricals absent; dorsal and lateral lobes of terminal segment absent or extemely
            reduced. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6

            Spiricals present, usually conspicuous (may be concealed if lobes of disk are infolded);
            dorsal and lateral lobes usually present, but absent in some species. . . . . . . . . . . . . 7

6.         Ventral lobes of terminal segment elongate, deeply separated, slightly divergent
            with a few tufts of hairs; anal gills elongate; dorsal and ventral creeping welts conspicuous
            on abdominal segments II-VII; head capsule nearly complete dorsally; larvae in silken
            tubes on stones in swift, well-oxygenated water. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Antocha sp.

            Lobes of terminal segment otherwise; anal papillae short, no conspicuous creeping welts;
            head capsule reduced to slender rods. Paired ventral lobes of terminal segment short,
            conical; in marshy sediments. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Erioptera, in part (chlorophylla-group)

7.         Spiracular disc with two distinct (ventral) lobes oonly, dorsal and later lobes absent. . . . 8

            Spiracular disc with seven, five or four lobes, or all lobes reduced and indistinct. . . . . . . 9

8.         Abdominal segments III-VII or IV-VII with pseudopods or creeping welts; head capsule
            nearly completely enclosed dorsally, not wirh extensive incisures. . . . . . . . . Pediciidae, 8

           Abdominal segment without creeping welts or pseudopods; head capsule dorsally with
            extensive incicures. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Limnophila sp.

9.         Spiracular field almost entirely covered with short hairs, except small areas around
            spiracles. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Pidicia sp.

            Spiracle field not covered with short hairs; margins of spiracular field fringed with short setae
            . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10

10.        Venter of abdominal segments III-VII with paired pseudopods bearing apical crochets
            (curved hooks). . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
            . . . . . . . . . . . . . Dicranota sp. (in part, subgenera Dicranota, Paradicranota, Raphidolabis)

            Dorsum and venter of abdominal segment IV-VII with creeping welts. Dicronota sp. (in
            part, subgenera Rhaphidolabiana, Eudicranota)           

11.        Spiricular disc without distinct lobes. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12

            Spiricular disc surrounded by four or five lobes. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13

12.        Spiricular disc bears several dark sclerites on dorsal and ventral parts; long setae on lateral
            and ventral margins of spiracular field; head capsule reduced to loong rods, with elongate
            prominent maxillae. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Hexatoma, (in part, cinerae)

            Spiricular disc bears one or two ventral (sometimes four, two ventral and two dorsal) pale
            sclerites; spiracular disc without loong hairs, but fringed with short setae; head capsule
            more compact, not with long rods or elongate maxillae. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13         

13.        Spiracular disc with four spiracular lobes (if a dorsal lobe is evident it is greatly reduced in
            size in relation to other lobes). . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14

            Spiracular disc with five spiracular lobes (dorsal lobe similar in size to other lobes). . . . 16

14.        Spiracular disc with lateral and ventral lobes forming long cylindrical processes. Spiracular
            lobes not pigmented and not fringed with long hairs on upper surfae; spiracles pale and
            difficult to see; head capsule pale but compact, not reduced to rods; maxilla apex blunt;
            mandible with many similar teeth; hyposoma reduced to small longitudinal rod below
            maxillae. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Cryptolabis paradoxa

15.        Ventral and lateral lobes enetirely darkly pigmented, elongate and narrow; head capsule
            completely sclerotized; not consisting of rods, and without a prominent, visible, elongate
            maxilla; joined hyposomal plates each bearing 7 or 8 teeth on each side. . . . . . . . . . . .                         . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Pseudolimnophilia sp.

16.        Dorsal plate of head fused into spatulate plate, widest posteriorly; clypeolabrum large, as
            long as wide, pale, without darker sclerites, square-shaped; mandible complex with joint
            near mid-length. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 17

            Dorsal plate of head not fused; clypeolabrum wider than long, with dark sclerites more
            rounded shape; mandible not jointed near mid-length. Labrum with shorter or longer
            lobes; frons divided into two large rectangular lateral plates; ventral part of head capsule
            completely reduced and open, hypopharyngeal bar absent; lateral lobes of spiracular disc
            bears narrow, stripe-shaped sclerite; ventral lobes pigmented differently . Hexatoma sp.

17.        Pigmentation of ventral lobes of spiracular disc discontinuous, with transverse striations,
            more continuous coloration toward apex or reduced to narrow line; spiracular field
            entirely fringed with hairs; hairs on apices of lobes more or less similar in length to other
            marginal hairs. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Pilaria sp.            

18.        Marginal hairs fringe only the apical part of each spiracular lobe. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 19            

            Hairs fringe along almost the entire margin of the spiracular lobes. . . . . . . . . . . . . . 20

19.        Pigmentation of spiracular disc black. . . . . Ormosia sp. (in part, subgenus Ormosia)           

            Pigmentation of spiracular disc brown to light brown. . . .. . . . . . . . . Erioptera, in part

20.        Anal field with two pairs of anal papillae; spiracular disc surrounded by short, bluntly
            rounded lobes. Center of spiracular disc with large solid marking; head with maxilla
            short, broad. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Gonomyia sp.

            Anal field with single poar of anal papillae; spiracular lobes elongate with slender apices.
            Two large pigmented spots between spiracles (attached to each spiracle); an additiional
            pigmented spot between dorsal and laateral lobes; marginal hairs long. . . . . . . . . . . .
            . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Ormosia, (in part, subgenus Parormosia)

[Home][Back to Nymph Families]