Ptychopteridae

Ptychopteridae; Temporal range: Early Jurassic–Present PreꞒ Ꞓ O S D C P T J K Pg N
	Ptychoptera contaminata
Scientific classification
Kingdom:	Animalia
Phylum:	Arthropoda
Class:	Insecta
Order:	Diptera
Suborder:	Nematocera
Infraorder:	Ptychopteromorpha
Family:	Ptychopteridae; Osten-Sacken, 1862
Genera
	Ptychoptera; Bittacomorpha; Bittacomorphella;

The Ptychopteridae, phantom crane flies, are a small family (three extant genera) of nematocerous Diptera. Superficially similar in appearance to other "tipuloid" families, they lack the ocelli of the Trichoceridae, the five-branched radial vein of the Tanyderidae, and the two anal veins that reach the wing margins of the Tipulidae. They are usually allied with the Tanyderidae based on similarities of the mesonotal suture, this group being called the Ptychopteromorpha.

Life history

Egg

Ptychoptera albimana (Palearctic) has a mean of 554 eggs laid. The shape is slightly arcuated, "curiously ornamented", and roughly 0.8 mm × 0.2 mm (0.0315 in × 0.0079 in). Duration is reported at 7 days.

Larvae

The larvae are eucephalous and distinctive for the long, caudal respiratory siphon they possess. At hatching, they measure just under 4 mm (0.16 in) in P. albimana, quickly growing to nearly 80 mm (3.1 in). They occur in moist habitats (described as "wet swales and meadows" for Ptychoptera; along lentic shorelines and alder swamps for Bittacomorpha) where they feed as collector-gatherers on decaying organic matter.

Pupae

The pupae possess a single, greatly elongated spiracular horn protruding from their thoraces. In Ptychoptera and Bittacomorpha, the right horn is elongated; in Bittacomorphella, the left. Reported times spent in this stage vary from 5 to 12 days.

Ptychoptera quadrifasciata

Adult

The adults are found most often from late spring through to autumn in shaded, moist environs. Presumably, adults feed little, if at all. Two generations occur per year.

The common species of Eastern North America (Bittacomorpha clavipes) is known for the odd habit of spreading out its legs while flying, using expanded, trachea-rich tarsi to waft along on air currents.

Why they are called “phantom” crane flies: Their legs are thin and black with white sheaths near the tips, and when they fly under a shady tree, everything disappears except the white spots, appearing and disappearing like a “phantom”.

Subfamilies

Ptychopterinae – 16 antennomeres; M₁ cell present

Ptychoptera Meigen, 1803

Bittacomorphinae – 20 antennomeres; M₁ & M₂ veins fused, thus without M₁ cell

Bittacomorpha Westwood, 1835
Bittacomorphella Alexander, 1916

The general appearance of the two forms is strikingly different. The species of the Bittacomorphinae are similar in size and shape to the Tipulidae, but exhibit a striking black and white coloration — hence the common name "phantom crane flies". The two genera differ as adults in their size and the extent of white coloration on the legs. The larvae of Bittacomorphella possess unique protuberances not seen in the other two genera. Ptychoptera species resemble large mycetophilids, being generally a shiny black and often with patterned wings.

Species

Scientific name	Authority[1]	Location	Comments
Bittacomorpha (Westwood, 1835)
Bittacomorpha clavipes aka Tipula clauipes	Fabricius, 1781 (both variants)	Eastern North America, ranging as far west as the Rocky Mountains	The most common and distinctive species
Bittacomorpha occidentalis	Aldrich, 1895	Pacific Northwest
Bittacomorphella (Alexander, 1916)
Bittacomorphella esakii	Tokunaga, 1938	Japan
Bittacomorphella fenderiana	Alexander, 1947	Queen Charlotte Islands, south to Oregon	Often confused with one another in the literature until the mid-1900s, when Alexander delimited them based on the male hypopygium.
Bittacomorphella jonesi	Johnson, 1905	New England, south to North Carolina also seen in Minnesota and Michigan
Bittacomorphella nipponensis	Alexander, 1924
Bittacomorphella pacifica	Alexander, 1958	Northern California, north to Oregon
Bittacomorphella sackenii	Röder, 1890	Sierra Nevadas
Bittacomorphella thaiensis	Alexander 1953
Ptychoptera (Meigen, 1803)
Ptychoptera byersi	Alexander, 1966	California
Ptychoptera lenis	Osten-Sacken, 1877	P. l. lenis: Pacific Northwest P. l. coloradensis: Colorado and Utah	2 subspecies, as enumerated to the left
Ptychoptera metallica	Walker, 1848	Central Canada, Minnesota, Michigan
Ptychoptera minor	Alexander, 1920	California, Idaho
Ptychoptera monoensis	Alexander, 1947	Northern California	similar to P. pendula and P. townesi
Ptychoptera osceola	Alexander, 1959	Florida	similar to P. quadrifasciata
Ptychoptera pendula	Alexander, 1937	British Columbia, south to Utah and Colorado	similar to P. minor
Ptychoptera quadrifasciata aka P. rufocinctus	Say, 1824	Eastern United States
Ptychoptera sculleni	Alexander, 1943	Pacific Northwest	considered to be fairly distinct based on male genitalia
Ptychoptera townesi	Alexander, 1943	Washington, Oregon	similar to P. pendula
Ptychoptera uta	Alexander, 1947	Utah	similar to P. l. coloradensis

Extinct genera

Subfamily. †Eoptychopterinae Handlirsch 1906
- †Architendipes Rohdendorf 1962 Dzhil Formation, Kyrgyzstan, Hettangian
- †Doptychoptera Lukashevich 1998 Zaza Formation, Russia, Aptian
- †Eoptychoptera Handlirsch 1906 Dzhil Formation, Kyrgyzstan, Hettangian Charmouth Mudstone Formation, United Kingdom, Sinemurian, Green Series, Posidonia Shale, Germany, Toarcian Sagul Formation, Kyrgyzstan, Toarcian Itat Formation, Russia, Bajocian, Ortsog Formation, Mongolia, Bajocian, Daohugou, China, Callovian, Karabastau Formation, Kazakhstan, Callovian/Oxfordian Khaya Formation, Russia, Tithonian Sharteg, Mongolia, Tithonian Lulworth Formation, United Kingdom, Berriasian, Weald Clay, United Kingdom, Hauterivian, Las Hoyas, Spain, Barremian Zaza Formation, Russia, Aptian, Crato Formation, Brazil, Aptian, Spanish amber, Albian
- †Leptychoptera Lukashevich and Azar 2003 Lebanese amber, Barremian, Burmese amber, Myanmar, Cenomanian
- †Nedoptychoptera Lukashevich 1998 Karabastau Formation, Kazakhstan, Callovian/Oxfordian, Sharteg, Mongolia, Tithonian
- †Neuseptychoptera Szadziewski et al. 2017 Neuse River amber, North Carolina, Campanian
Subfamily. †Eoptychopterininae Lukashevich, 1995
- †Eoptychopterina Kalugina 1985 Itat Formation, Russia, Bajocian, Daohugou, China, Callovian Karabastau Formation, Kazakhstan, Callovian/Oxfordian Uda Formation, Ichetuy Formation, Russia, Oxfordian Sharteg, Mongolia, Tithonian Glushkovo Formation, Russia, Tithonian Durlston Formation, United Kingdom, Berriasian, Weald Clay, Hauterivian, Zaza Formation, Russia, Aptian
†subfamily Proptychopterininae Lukashevich 1995
- †Proptychopterina Kalugina 1985 Makarova Formation, Russia, Toarcian Itat Formation, Russia, Bajocian, Daohugou, China, Callovian Karabastau Formation, Kazakhstan, Callovian/Oxfordian Khaya Formation, Glushkovo Formation, Russia, Tithonian Ulaan-Ereg Formation, Sharteg, Mongolia, Tithonian
Subfamily Bittacomorphinae Alexander 1919
- †Probittacomorpha Freiwald and Willmann 1992 Fur Formation, Denmark, Ypresian, Montagne d'Andance, France, Turolian
- †Zhiganka Lukashevich 1995 Batylykh Formation, Russia, Neocomian, Weald Clay, United Kingdom, Hauterivian, Khasurty locality, Russia, Aptian
Subfamily Ptychopterinae Schiner 1864
- †Brodilka Lukashevich et al. 2001 Lulworth Formation, United Kingdom, Berriasian

References

Alexander, C.P. 1928. Diptera. Fam. Ptychopteridae. Genera Insectorum 188: 1–12

External links

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[1] Alexander, C.P. 1928. Diptera. Fam. Ptychopteridae. Genera Insectorum 188: 1–12