Tipula vestigipennis
| Tipula vestigipennis | |
|---|---|
 | |
| male specimen of Tipula vestigipennis found in Montara, CA | |
Scientific classification  | |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Arthropoda |
| Class: | Insecta |
| Order: | Diptera |
| Family: | Tipulidae |
| Genus: | Tipula |
| Subgenus: | Triplicitipula |
| Species: | T. vestigipennis |
| Binomial name | |
| Tipula vestigipennis Doane, 1908 | |
Tipula vestigipennis is a species of crane fly in the family Tipulidae, found in the western United States.[1]
Description
Males are typically 15mm in body length with a wing length of 5-9mm. Females are typically 22mm in body length with a wing length of 5-6mm.
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T. Vestigipennis wing diagram
The overall color of the subjects can be described as "brownish yellow". The following is a list of characteristics:
- Yellowish head and rostrum (gray above), sometimes with a brownish stripe
- Palpi is yellowish towards the base and brownish towards the tip
- The first, second, and third segments of the antennae are yellow with the remaining segments brownish and getting darker towards the tip of the antennae
- Each brown antennae segment is furnished with 4-5 stiff hairs
- Collar is yellowish with median and lateral brownish spots
- Dorsum of the thorax is a light yellow
- Dorsal stripes are yellow
- Median stripe divided by a broad yellow line
- Pleura and coxae are hairy
- Seutellum is yellow and lighter laterally with a narrow median brown line
- Metanotum is light yellow
- Halteres are yellow with black knobs
- Femora and tibia are yellowish and darker towards the tip
- Tarsi are brownish to blackish
- Abdomen has broad dorsal, lateral, and ventral brown stripes
- Seventh and eighth segments are often almost entirely blackish or brownish
- The posterior margin of the eighth sternite of the male is slightly curved, with a broad shallow median incision which is usually filled with light-colored membrane
- From this membrane, two tufts of light yellow hairs arise, which cross each other close to the base at about a 45° angle
- Broad sub-triangular chitinized plates are attached to the lateral margins of the eighth sternite which stand at right angles to it
- Posterior margin of the ninth tergite has a broad and shallow circular incision
- In the middle of this incision, two short triangular processes arise
- The ovipositor is long and stout
- Straight, acute upper valves
- Lower valves almost reach the tip of the upper valves
- Rounded tips
Range
Tipula vestigipennis is found exclusively in San Francisco County and San Mateo County.[1][3]
Ecology
As with all Triplicitipula, T. vestigipennis is considered a pest. It is destructive to vegetation and crops.[3]
Taxonomy
Tipula vestigipennis was first described by Rennie Wilbur Doane in Psyche (1908).[2][3]
Gallery
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T. vestigipennis hypopygium (male) -
T. vestigipennis hypopygium (male) -
T. vestigipennis hypopygium (male) -
T. vestigipennis male specimen -
T. vestigipennis female specimen
References
- ^ a b "Tipula vestigipennis". iNaturalist. Retrieved 17 June 2025.
- ^ a b Doane, Rennie W. (1908). "Psyche" (PDF). A New Species of Tipula with Vestigial Wings. Stanford University. Retrieved 17 June 2025.
This article incorporates text from this source, which is in the public domain. - ^ a b c Alexander, Charles P. (1967). "The Crane Flies of California" (PDF). Bulletin of the California Insect Survey Volume 8. Essig Museum of Entomology. Retrieved 17 June 2025.