1.         Mandibles moving against one another in a horiontal or oblique plane; head capsule usually             complete and fully exposed except retracted and reduced in Tipulidae (NEMATOCERA). . . . . . 2

            Mandibles or mouth hooks moving parallel to one another in a vertical plane; head capsule             variously reduced posteiorly; partially or almost completely retracted within thorax even if suc             retracted portions comprise only a few slender rods (Brachycera) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13

2.         Head capsule partially to fully retracted within thorax; usually with longitudinal incisions of             varing depths dorsolaterally; in extreme cases head consisting only of several slender rods;             respiratory system metapneustic or apneustic; posterior spiracles usually boreered by 1-3 or 5-7             pairs of sort lobes that are often fringed with short to very long hairs. . . . . . . . . . Tipuloidea

            Head capsule complete, usually without longitudinal incisions of varying depths dorsolaterally,             completely exserted; respiratory system ampipneustic; metapneustic, or apneustic; posterior             spiracles usually without bordering fringed lobes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3

3.         Head not distinctly separated from thorax; body divided iinot 6 major divisions, the 1st                         comprising te fused heae, thorax, and 1st abdominal segment; each of these divisions with a             median suctorial disc ventrally. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Blepariceridae (not reported for Ohio)

            Head showing a distinct constrictive separation form the thorax; suctorial discs asent (ventral             friction pads present in Psychodidae). . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4

4.         Abdomen terminating in a slender, respitory siphon that when fully exserted is nearly as long as             the body. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Ptychopteridae

            Not having the above characters. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .5

5.        Thoracic segments fused and indistinctly differentiated, forming a single segment that is wider             than any of abdominal segments; thoracic and abdominal segments with prominent, lateral             fanlike tufts of long setae; and/or anal division with a setal fan. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6

           Thoracic segments usually individually distinguishable; thorax and abdomen about equal in             diameter or abdomen wider; setae on thoracic and abdominal segments not tufted and anal             division without setal fan. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7

6.         Antennae prehensile (grasping), with long apical setae; mouth brushes absent . .Chaoboridae

            Antennae not prehensile and with only short apical setae; prominent mouth burshes present on             either side of labrum. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Culicidae

7.         Paired chrochet-bearing prolegs ventrally on 1st and usually 2nd abdominal segments s; anal             division with 2 flattened dorsolateral postspiraclar lobes having setose (hair-covered) margins             projecting above conical, dorsally sclerotized segment bearing the terminal anus and anal             papillae. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Dixidae

            Abdominal segments without prolegs, except on anal division; anal division without flattened,             fringed postspiracular lobes and a conical, dorsally sclerotized anal division. . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8

8.         Prothorax with 1 proleg or a pair of prolegs ventrally. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9 

            Prothorax lacking prolegs. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11

9.         Head capsule usually with a pair of conspicuous, folding labral fans dorsolaterally; abdominal             segments 5-8 swollen, poeterior segment terminatiing in a ring or circlet of numerous radiating             rows of minute hooks. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Simuliidae

            Head capsule lacking labral fans; posterior abdominal segments not conspicuously swollen nor             with radiating rows of hooks terminally, although anal proleg(s) bearing crochets may be                         present. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10

10.       All body segments dorsally with prominent tubercles (elevated fleshy processes). . . . . . . . . . . .             . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Ceratopogonidae(in part)

           Body segments lacking prominent dorsal tubercles and setae. . . . . . . . . . . . . . Chironomidae

11.       Last 2 abdominal segments with long filamentous prodesses, pairs of such processes arising             laterally on the next to last segment, dorsolaterally on the anal division and from near the apex             of 2 elongate cylindraical prolegs that project posteroventrally from the anal division. . . . . . . . .             . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Tanyderidae, Protoplasa fitchii

            Posterior adominal segments without long filamentous processes; at most only a single proleg             present. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12

12.       All body segments secondarily divided into 2 or 3 subdivisions withsome or all of these                         subdivisions bearing dorsal sclerotized plates; remainder of integument with numerous dark             spots that together with the dorsla plates impart a greyish brown coloration to larva; respiratory             system amphipneustic; posterior spiracles usually at apex of a relatively short, conical                         respiratory tube. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Psychodidae

           Body segments usually not seondariy divided; integument smooth, shiny, and creamy white,             lacking all surface features except a few setae that may be noticable at the tip of anal division,             and sometimes a retractile anal proleg bearing a few crochets (curved hooks); larvae apneustic.             . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Ceratopogonidae(in part)

13.        Sclerotized portions of head capsule exposed externally although sometime greatly reduced, in             which case slender tentorial and metacephalic rods prominent internally. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .             . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Orthorrhaphous-Brachycera. 14

            External sclerotized portions of head capsule absent; head reduced to an internal                                     cephalopharyngeal skeleton of rather characteristic form. Cyclorrhaphous -Brachycera. 18

14.        Body somewhat depressed; integument toughened and leathery from calcium deposits that are             evident as nuerous small reticulatedly arranged facets; head capsule capable of only slight             independent movement; ususally with distinctive lateral eye promineces. . . . . . Stratiomyidae

            Larva usually not conspicuously depressed nor with toughened integument bearing a network of             facets; head capsule capable of extensive independent movement; without distinctive eye             prominences. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15

15.       Head capsule well developed dorsally, closed ventrally by a submental plate; tentorial rods             solidly fused with head capsule internally; a brush of backwardly curved bristles usually present             on each side of clypeus above and near base of each mandible. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16

            Head capsule reduced to a pair of slender metacephalic rods; they and tentorial rods flexibly             articulate with anterior cephalic sclerites; submental plate and brushes of bristles above                         mandibles absent. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 17

16.        Posterior spiracles present, opening within slits on either side of a vertically linear stigmatal bar             or a retractile, laterally compressed spine; body integument eiht longitudinal striations, except in             some species where integument totally covered by short, velvety pubescence; first 7 abdominal             segments girdled by 3 or 4 pairs of fleshy creeping welts (setae-bearing swellings) or prolegs,             tase being the only projections from the segments. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Tabanidae

            Posterior spiracles greatly reduced or situated within a small terminal cavity; integument without             striations or extensive covering of pubescence; prolegs, if present, limited to 1-2 ventral pairs             on each abdominal segment. Larvae with slender lateral and dorsolateral tubercles on
                        abdominal segments increasing in length posteriorly; two longer tubercles, fringed with             hairs, on anal division; abdoominal segmenta 1-7 each with pair of short, broad prolegs, shorter             than half width of body. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Athericidae, Atherix lantha

17.       Larva metapneustic; posterior spiracles situated at the base of upper 2 of 4 smooth primary             lobes of anal division; transverse ventral creeping welts present on abdominal segments;                         metacephalic rods expanded posteriorly. . . . . . . . . . . . . Dolichopodidae, Hydrophorus sp.

            Larva usually apneustic, anal division with 1-4 rounded lobes bearing apical setae, and                         abdominal segments bearing paired prolegs with apical crochets; if metapneustic, then anal             division with only a single lobe below spiracles, and abdominal segments with ventral creeping             welts; metacehphalic rods slender posteriorly. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Empididae

18.        Posterior spiracular plates fused or very closely approximated, usually on apex of a telescopic             respiratory tube. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Syrphidae

            Posterior spiracular plates always distinctly separated whether mounted on a telescopic
            respitory tube or not . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 19

19.        Anal division somewhat tapered, usually ending in an elongae retractile respitory tube that lacks             dorsal tubercles; integument of posterior abdominal segments covered with setae or spinules, or             with setaceous (setae-bearing) tubercles on some segments. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Ephydridae

            Anal division rather truncate (cut off squarely), either with short respitory tube or basally fused             conical spiracular prominences, each bearing a dorsal tubecle; integument with setae only on             intersegmental areas; setaceous tubercles, if present, restricted to anal division.                                     Cephalopharyngeal skeleton with accessory oral sclerite below mouth hooks. . . . . . . . Muscidae

 

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Key to Fly (Diptera) Nymphs Families
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Flies (Diptera) of Ohio
From Courtney & Merritt, 2008