User:Mworth1/Geranomyia

Geranomyia Crane Flies (Diptera: Limoniidae)

Lead Section: Geranomyia (Diptera: Limoniidae), nectar feeding crane flies, are a genus of crane fly in the family Limoniidae. The majority of Geranomyia species have been recorded from the southern hemisphere, however there are currently 356 described species from around the world. The neotropical region of the world provides some of the greatest species diversity with many species still unknown and undescribed. Larvae of Geranomyia can be found in aquatic or semi aquatic habitats, often on hygropetric [W1] habitats in streams and rivers. Adults are often found in a bobbing movement when feeding on nectar from composite flowers, yet the purpose of nectar feeding remains unknown.

Taxonomy: Geranomyia crane flies occur in the family Limoniidae, which is in the super family Tipuloidea, along with the other three families of crane flies: Tipulidae, Pediciidae, and Cylindrotomidae. Crane fly taxonomy has changed in more recent years, as historically, there was a single family of crane flies (Tipulidae), with three subfamilies: Tipulinae, Cylindrotominae, and Limoniinae. Phylogenetic analyses led to the four family approach, which most researchers follow today.

Description: Geranomyia crane flies are most well recognized for their elongate mouthparts used in nectar feeding. Mouthpart lengths are often greater than half the length of the body, typically dark in color. Geranomyia are typically small to medium in size (4-10 mm) with bodies brown or green in life. Wings tend to have a stigma present along the costal vein and heads tend to be gray or charcoal colored.

Natural History:

Life Cycle and Behavior: Adult Geranomyia usually emerge in early spring and typically have a rather long period of active feeding, from April until October. When feeding or at rest, they engage in a bouncing or bobbing movement, which is specific to only Geranomyia, and the function of the behavior is unknown. Larvae tend to be similar to many other limoniids, as they are semi-aquatic and form silken, gelatinous tubes with algal filaments which they feed upon. In pupation, they form a cocoon-like sheath in the mouth of the larval tube. One species, Geranomyia recondita (Alexander 1921), develops a globular mass made of a clear jelly-like substance on leaves. The larvae are protected within the jelly mass and feed on epiphyllous [W2] liverworts. This larval habitat forming behavior is specific to Geranomyia.

Habitat: Geranomyia larvae are found in aquatic and semi-aquatic habitats. Most commonly, they can be found in hygropetric habitats, where a thin film of water is flowing constantly over a rock surface and there is also algae present on the rock. This type of habitat is most common in streams and waterfalls, but Geranomyia can be found in rivers as well. Adults are typically found in close proximity to their larval habitats, near riffles in streams but also on limestone cliffs and overhanging springs. More specifically, adults are found feeding near their larval habitats, resting and feeding on Asteraceae flowers such as Aster, Eupatorium, Helianthus, Solidago, and Verbesina.

Historic and Current Distribution: Geranomyia crane flies are globally distributed in the Holarctic, Palaearctic, Nearctic, Neotropical, Oriental, Afrotropical, and Australasian regions. The greatest diversity occurs in the neotropical regions. The Neotropics are also thought to have the greatest amount of undescribed species. One species, Geranomyia guatemalensis is historically found in Costa Rica, Guatemala, Mexico and Venezuela, however, in recent years it has been found in Pennsylvania and New York, demonstrating a range expansion. The distribution of most species of Geranomyia is poorly known in terms of expansions, yet with increasing temperatures it is thought that many species might be expanding their ranges.

Conservation Status: Geranomyia crane flies have never been listed on any conservation organization lists. Despite the lack of a conservation status, Geranomyia are abundant worldwide and new species are being discovered rather frequently. In order to create a proper conservation status, more research must be done to understand the historical populations of Geranomyia and make comparisons to population numbers today.

Currently Recognized Species:

Geranomyia Haliday, 1833

Geranomyia ablusa (Alexander, 1967)

Geranomyia advena (Alexander, 1954)

Geranomyia aequabilis aequabilis Alexander, 1923

Geranomyia aequabilis deplexa (Alexander, 1941)

Geranomyia aeruginosa (Alexander, 1972)

Geranomyia alberticola (Alexander, 1956)

Geranomyia albilabris (Edwards, 1931)

Geranomyia alpestris (Alexander, 1930)

Geranomyia amblytylos (Alexander, 1964)

Geranomyia amoenalis (Alexander, 1945)

Geranomyia anduzeana (Alexander, 1943)

Geranomyia aneura (Alexander, 1971)

Geranomyia angusticincta Alexander, 1921

Geranomyia anisacantha (Alexander, 1964)

Geranomyia annandalei Edwards, 1913

Geranomyia annulosa (Alexander, 1929)

Geranomyia anthina (Alexander, 1945)

Geranomyia apicifasciata (Alexander, 1930)

Geranomyia arecuna (Alexander, 1931)

Geranomyia argentacea (Alexander, 1980)

Geranomyia argentifera de Meijere, 1911

Geranomyia argentinensis Alexander, 1920

Geranomyia assueta (Alexander, 1943)

Geranomyia atlantica annulirostris Pierre, 1922

Geranomyia atlantica atlantica (Wollaston, 1858)

Geranomyia atrostriata Edwards, 1921

Geranomyia atychia (Alexander, 1964)

Geranomyia austroandina (Alexander, 1929)

Geranomyia austropicta (Alexander, 1929)

Geranomyia avara (Alexander, 1944)

Geranomyia avocetta Alexander, 1913

Geranomyia bahiensis (Alexander, 1930)

Geranomyia baisensis Zhang, Zhang and Yang, 2016

Geranomyia baliana (Alexander, 1934)

Geranomyia bancrofti Alexander, 1922

Geranomyia banksiana (Alexander, 1939)

Geranomyia beatrix (Alexander, 1945)

Geranomyia bezzii Alexander and Leonard, 1912

Geranomyia biargentata (Alexander, 1930)

Geranomyia bicincta Alexander, 1921

Geranomyia bifidaria (Alexander, 1931)

Geranomyia bifurcula (Alexander, 1933)

Geranomyia bivittata Becker, 1908

Geranomyia bogongicola (Alexander, 1930)

Geranomyia boki (Alexander, 1975)

Geranomyia brasiliensis (Westwood, 1836)

Geranomyia brevibasis (Alexander, 1972)

Geranomyia brevispinula (Alexander, 1930)

Geranomyia brunnescens de Meijere, 1916

Geranomyia bustilloi (Alexander, 1938)

Geranomyia callinota (Alexander, 1941)

Geranomyia caloptera Mik, 1867

Geranomyia canadensis (Westwood, 1836)

Geranomyia canariensis Bergroth, 1889

Geranomyia caribica (Alexander, 1970)

Geranomyia carunculata carunculata (Alexander, 1941)

Geranomyia carunculata manabiana (Alexander, 1953)

Geranomyia cerberus Alexander, 1927

Geranomyia cernua (Alexander, 1942)

Geranomyia certhia Alexander, 1916

Geranomyia cinereinota Alexander, 1913

Geranomyia circipunctata Brunetti, 1912

Geranomyia cocoensis (Alexander, 1978)

Geranomyia commogastra (Alexander, 1967)

Geranomyia communis Osten Sacken, 1860

Geranomyia conjurata conjurata (Alexander, 1937)

Geranomyia conjurata nelites (Alexander, 1960)

Geranomyia conjuratoides (Alexander, 1945)

Geranomyia conquisita (Alexander, 1941)

Geranomyia constanza Gavryushin, 2018

Geranomyia contorta (Alexander, 1941)

Geranomyia contrita (Alexander, 1937)

Geranomyia cornigera Alexander, 1913

Geranomyia cornuta Hancock, 2011

Geranomyia costaricensis Alexander, 1916

Geranomyia costomaculata Dietz, 1921

Geranomyia costosetosa (Alexander, 1956)

Geranomyia cubana (Alexander, 1930)

Geranomyia damicoi (Alexander, 1942)

Geranomyia deccanica (Alexander, 1968)

Geranomyia degenerata Zhang, Zhang and Yang, 2016

Geranomyia deleta (Alexander, 1937)

Geranomyia deliciosa (Alexander, 1934)

Geranomyia destricta (Alexander, 1940)

Geranomyia devota (Alexander, 1929)

Geranomyia diabolica (Alexander, 1944)

Geranomyia diargyria (Alexander, 1941)

Geranomyia dicranostyla (Alexander, 1964)

Geranomyia dischidia (Alexander, 1958)

Geranomyia discors (Alexander, 1980)

Geranomyia disparilis (Alexander, 1946)

Geranomyia distincta Doane, 1900

Geranomyia diversa Osten Sacken, 1860

Geranomyia dominicana (Alexander, 1939)

Geranomyia durga (Alexander, 1967)

Geranomyia dybasi (Alexander, 1972)

Geranomyia edwardsella (Alexander, 1967)

Geranomyia edwardsiana (Alexander and Alexander, 1973)

Geranomyia enderleini Alexander, 1913

Geranomyia entmema (Alexander, 1978)

Geranomyia erasmi (Alexander, 1933)

Geranomyia eremnopoda (Alexander, 1975)

Geranomyia errana (Alexander, 1930)

Geranomyia eugeniana Lantsov, 2015

Geranomyia eurygramma eurygramma Alexander, 1928

Geranomyia eurygramma stenomera (Alexander, 1964)

Geranomyia euryphallus (Alexander, 1960)

Geranomyia feuerborni (Alexander, 1931)

Geranomyia fimbriacosta (Alexander, 1961)

Geranomyia fimbriarum (Alexander, 1949)

Geranomyia flavicosta Brunetti, 1912

Geranomyia flavitarsis Edwards, 1928

Geranomyia flaviventris Brunetti, 1918

Geranomyia fletcheri Edwards, 1911

Geranomyia fluxa (Alexander, 1941)

Geranomyia forsteriana (Alexander, 1962)

Geranomyia fortibasis (Alexander, 1942)

Geranomyia fremida (Alexander, 1937)

Geranomyia fumimarginata (Alexander, 1936)

Geranomyia furor (Alexander, 1944)

Geranomyia fuscana (Macquart, 1838)

Geranomyia fuscior Stary, 2012

Geranomyia ganesa (Alexander, 1960)

Geranomyia gaudens Alexander, 1922

Geranomyia genitaloides Senior-White, 1924

Geranomyia gifuensis Alexander, 1921

Geranomyia glauca Alexander, 1916

Geranomyia gracilipalpis (Alexander, 1956)

Geranomyia gracilispinosa (Alexander, 1937)

Geranomyia grampianicola (Alexander, 1930)

Geranomyia gravelyana (Alexander, 1942)

Geranomyia griseipeltata (Alexander, 1956)

Geranomyia grus (Alexander, 1933)

Geranomyia guatemalensis Alexander, 1916

Geranomyia guianensis (Alexander, 1930)

Geranomyia hakoneana (Alexander, 1955)

Geranomyia hardyi Alexander, 1928

Geranomyia hedosyne (Alexander, 1961)

Geranomyia heteroxipha (Alexander, 1942)

Geranomyia hirsutinota (Alexander, 1943)

Geranomyia hirudinis (Alexander, 1967)

Geranomyia ibis Alexander, 1916

Geranomyia idiopygialis (Alexander, 1980)

Geranomyia immerita (Alexander, 1930)

Geranomyia immobilis (Alexander, 1932)

Geranomyia inaequispinosa (Alexander, 1940)

Geranomyia inaequituberculata (Alexander, 1930)

Geranomyia infamosa (Alexander, 1937)

Geranomyia innoxia (Alexander, 1968)

Geranomyia inornata Lackschewitz, 1928

Geranomyia inquisita (Alexander, 1942)

Geranomyia insignis (Loew, 1851)

Geranomyia intermedia (Walker, 1848)

Geranomyia iriomotensis Kato, 2021

Geranomyia irrorata Seguy, 1938

Geranomyia javanica Alexander, 1915

Geranomyia jiulongensis Qian and Zhang, 2020

Geranomyia kiangsiana (Alexander, 1937)

Geranomyia knabiana Alexander, 1916

Geranomyia kockensis (Alexander, 1934)

Geranomyia kunashir Podenas, 2016

Geranomyia lachrymalis Alexander, 1916

Geranomyia lacteitarsis Alexander, 1922

Geranomyia lampronota (Edwards, 1932)

Geranomyia latitudinis (Alexander, 1954)

Geranomyia laudanda (Alexander, 1938)

Geranomyia lemniscata (Alexander, 1930)

Geranomyia lichyi (Alexander, 1943)

Geranomyia linearis Alexander, 1915

Geranomyia lineata Enderlein, 1912

Geranomyia longicrinita (Alexander, 1973)

Geranomyia longifimbriata (Alexander, 1931)

Geranomyia longispina Zhang, Zhang and Yang, 2016

Geranomyia luteimana (Alexander, 1938)

Geranomyia luteinota (Alexander, 1956)

Geranomyia lutulenta Skuse, 1890

Geranomyia lycaon (Alexander, 1953)

Geranomyia macrauchenia (Alexander, 1957)

Geranomyia macrops Alexander, 1920

Geranomyia macta (Alexander, 1945)

Geranomyia maculata Zhang, Zhang and Yang, 2016

Geranomyia malabarensis (Alexander, 1952)

Geranomyia manca Alexander, 1924

Geranomyia marthae (Alexander, 1930)

Geranomyia mashonica brunneicincta (Alexander, 1965)

Geranomyia mashonica mashonica Alexander, 1920

Geranomyia melanocephala Edwards, 1926

Geranomyia melanomera (Alexander, 1980)

Geranomyia melanoxyna (Alexander, 1975)

Geranomyia memnonia (Alexander, 1961)

Geranomyia meracula (Alexander, 1936)

Geranomyia mexicana (Bellardi, 1861)

Geranomyia microphaea (Alexander, 1939)

Geranomyia militaris (Alexander, 1953)

Geranomyia monorhaphidia (Alexander, 1971)

Geranomyia montana de Meijere, 1911

Geranomyia multicolor (Alexander, 1966)

Geranomyia multipuncta Alexander, 1922

Geranomyia myersiana (Alexander, 1930)

Geranomyia neanthina (Alexander, 1955)

Geranomyia neavocetta (Alexander, 1938)

Geranomyia neogaudens (Alexander, 1942)

Geranomyia neonumenius (Alexander, 1930)

Geranomyia neoparilis (Alexander, 1962)

Geranomyia neopentheres (Alexander, 1930)

Geranomyia neopicta (Alexander, 1978)

Geranomyia neptis (Alexander, 1970)

Geranomyia nigra Zhang, Zhang and Yang, 2016

Geranomyia nigripleura Alexander, 1919

Geranomyia nigronitida Alexander, 1921

Geranomyia nigronotata Brunetti, 1918

Geranomyia nigropaxilla (Alexander, 1974)

Geranomyia nigropeltata (Alexander, 1956)

Geranomyia nitida de Meijere, 1911

Geranomyia notatipennis Brunetti, 1913

Geranomyia nugatoria (Alexander, 1943)

Geranomyia numenius Alexander, 1913

Geranomyia obesistyla (Alexander, 1940)

Geranomyia obscura Strobl, 1900

Geranomyia obsolescens chicapae (Alexander, 1963)

Geranomyia obsolescens obsolescens (Alexander, 1956)

Geranomyia offirmata (Alexander, 1936)

Geranomyia oneris (Alexander, 1957)

Geranomyia opinator (Alexander, 1950)

Geranomyia opulens (Alexander, 1946)

Geranomyia ornatrix Alexander, 1926

Geranomyia orthorhabda (Alexander, 1940)

Geranomyia palauensis (Alexander, 1972)

Geranomyia pallidapex (Alexander, 1946)

Geranomyia paramanca (Alexander, 1931)

Geranomyia parapentheres (Alexander, 1948)

Geranomyia parilis (Alexander, 1946)

Geranomyia pastazina (Alexander, 1944)

Geranomyia paucipuncta Kato, 2021

Geranomyia pentheres Alexander, 1928

Geranomyia penthoptera Alexander, 1924

Geranomyia perfecta Alexander, 1928

Geranomyia pergracilis (Alexander, 1980)

Geranomyia phoenaspis (Alexander, 1930)

Geranomyia phoenosoma (Alexander, 1931)

Geranomyia piagola Podenas, 2016

Geranomyia pictorum (Alexander, 1929)

Geranomyia picturella (Alexander, 1978)

Geranomyia platensis Alexander, 1923

Geranomyia pleuropalloris (Alexander, 1931)

Geranomyia plumbeicolor (Alexander, 1938)

Geranomyia plumbeipleura Alexander, 1916

Geranomyia podomelania (Alexander, 1981)

Geranomyia poliophara Alexander, 1927

Geranomyia procax (Alexander, 1960)

Geranomyia productella (Alexander, 1975)

Geranomyia propera (Alexander, 1949)

Geranomyia provocator (Alexander, 1941)

Geranomyia quinquelineata (Alexander, 1980)

Geranomyia rabula (Alexander, 1940)

Geranomyia radialis (Alexander, 1930)

Geranomyia recisa Alexander, 1927

Geranomyia recondita civica (Alexander, 1939)

Geranomyia recondita recondita Alexander, 1921

Geranomyia refuga (Alexander, 1944)

Geranomyia relata (Alexander, 1944)

Geranomyia risibilis Alexander, 1928

Geranomyia rostrata antillarum (Alexander, 1930)

Geranomyia rostrata rostrata (Say, 1823)

Geranomyia rubiginosa (Alexander, 1931)

Geranomyia rubrithorax Alexander, 1921

Geranomyia rudebecki (Alexander, 1964)

Geranomyia rufescens (Loew, 1851)

Geranomyia sagittifer Alexander, 1921

Geranomyia sakaguchii Alexander, 1924

Geranomyia sakalava (Alexander, 1961)

Geranomyia samoana Edwards, 1928

Geranomyia satipoana (Alexander, 1945)

Geranomyia scolopax Alexander, 1913

Geranomyia semifasciata Brunetti, 1911

Geranomyia semistriata Brunetti, 1911

Geranomyia semjina Podenas, 2016

Geranomyia separata Alexander, 1921

Geranomyia septemnotata Edwards, 1916

Geranomyia serotina Alexander, 1923

Geranomyia sexocellata Alexander, 1921

Geranomyia skuseana (Alexander, 1929)

Geranomyia snyderi (Alexander, 1972)

Geranomyia sorbillans (Wiedemann, 1828)

Geranomyia spangleri (Alexander, 1970)

Geranomyia sparsiguttata (Alexander, 1937)

Geranomyia spectata (Alexander, 1937)

Geranomyia stenoleuca (Alexander, 1957)

Geranomyia stenophallus (Alexander, 1944)

Geranomyia stoica (Alexander, 1941)

Geranomyia stylobtusa (Alexander, 1967)

Geranomyia subablusa Qian and Zhang, 2020

Geranomyia subgaudens (Alexander, 1941)

Geranomyia subimmaculata Alexander, 1921

Geranomyia subinsignis Alexander, 1916

Geranomyia subparilis (Alexander, 1962)

Geranomyia subpentheres (Alexander, 1943)

Geranomyia subradialis (Alexander, 1937)

Geranomyia subrecisa (Alexander, 1933)

Geranomyia subserotina Alexander, 1921

Geranomyia subvirescens clementis (Alexander, 1946)

Geranomyia subvirescens jamaicae (Alexander, 1939)

Geranomyia subvirescens subvirescens (Alexander, 1930)

Geranomyia suensoniana (Alexander, 1929)

Geranomyia sumptuosa (Alexander, 1942)

Geranomyia syamantaka (Alexander, 1963)

Geranomyia sylvania (Alexander, 1939)

Geranomyia synaporosa Speiser, 1913

Geranomyia taleola (Alexander, 1974)

Geranomyia tanytrichiata (Alexander, 1961)

Geranomyia tatei (Alexander, 1931)

Geranomyia tenebricosa Alexander, 1928

Geranomyia tenuispinosa (Alexander, 1929)

Geranomyia terpsis (Alexander, 1980)

Geranomyia tibialis (Loew, 1851)

Geranomyia timens (Alexander, 1950)

Geranomyia tonnoiri Alexander, 1928

Geranomyia torta (Alexander, 1938)

Geranomyia townsendi Alexander, 1916

Geranomyia toxeres (Alexander, 1974)

Geranomyia transitoria (Alexander, 1941)

Geranomyia trichomera (Alexander, 1939)

Geranomyia tridens Brunetti, 1912

Geranomyia tristella (Alexander, 1929)

Geranomyia tugela (Alexander, 1964)

Geranomyia tulumayoensis (Alexander, 1944)

Geranomyia tumidibasis (Alexander, 1938)

Geranomyia turbida Alexander, 1928

Geranomyia uberis (Alexander, 1939)

Geranomyia umbricolor (Alexander, 1937)

Geranomyia unicolor Haliday, 1833

Geranomyia unifilosa (Alexander, 1934)

Geranomyia unispinifera (Alexander, 1938)

Geranomyia vaciva (Alexander, 1938)

Geranomyia valida (Loew, 1851)

Geranomyia valverdensis (Alexander, 1946)

Geranomyia vanduzeei Alexander, 1916

Geranomyia vanikorensis (Alexander, 1934)

Geranomyia variegata (Walker, 1836)

Geranomyia versuta (Alexander, 1930)

Geranomyia victoriae Alexander, 1928

Geranomyia villaricensis (Alexander, 1930)

Geranomyia vinaceobrunnea Brunetti, 1911

Geranomyia vindicta dilucida (Alexander, 1953)

Geranomyia vindicta vindicta (Alexander, 1943)

Geranomyia virescens (Loew, 1851)

Geranomyia viridella (Alexander, 1930)

Geranomyia viriditincta (Alexander, 1980)

Geranomyia vitiella (Alexander, 1956)

Geranomyia walkeri (Alexander, 1930)

Geranomyia wigginsi (Alexander, 1978)

Geranomyia xanthoplaca Alexander, 1921

Geranomyia yunquensis (Alexander, 1957)

Geranomyia zionana (Alexander, 1948)

References:

Borkent, Art & Brown, Brian & Adler, Peter & Amorim, Dalton & Barber, Kevin & Bickel, Daniel & Boucher, Stephanie & Brooks, Scott & Burger, John & Burington, Z.L. & Capellari, Renato & Costa, Daniel & Cumming, Jeffrey & Curler, Greg & Dick, Carl & Epler, John & Fisher, Eric & Gaimari, Stephen & Gelhaus, Jon & Zumbado Arrieta, Manuel. (2018). Remarkable fly (Diptera) diversity in a patch of Costa Rican cloud forest: Why inventory is a vital science. Zootaxa. 4402. 10.11646/zootaxa.4402.1.3.

Gelhaus, J. K., and V. Podiniene. 2019. Chapter 24: Tipuloidea. [pp. 1023-1070]. In: R. W. Merritt, K. W. Cummins and M. B. Berg (editors), An introduction to the aquatic insects of North America, fifth edition, xviii + 1480 pp. Kendall/Hunt Publishing Company, Dubuque, Iowa.

Grimaldi, David, and Chen Young. "Observations on the Bizarre Jelly Mass Habit of Larval Geranomyia (Diptera: Tipulidae: Limoniidae)." Journal of the New York Entomological Society, vol. 100, no. 4, 1992, pp. 634-37.

Oosterbroek, Pjotr, and Elena Lukashevich. "Flower-visiting by long-proboscid limoniid crane flies (Diptera, Limoniidae)." Fly Times, no. 67, fall 2021, pp. 1-12.

Qian X, Zhang X (2020) Two new Geranomyia Haliday (Diptera, Limoniidae) crane flies from Mount Jiulong in China, with an updated key to Chinese species. ZooKeys 953: 105-118.

Rogers, J. Speed. "Some Notes on the Feeding Habits of Adult Crane-Flies." The Florida Entomologist, vol. 10, no. 1, Apr. 1926.

Rogers, J. Speed. “Notes on the Biology and Immature Stages of Geranomyia (Tipulidae, Diptera) I. Geranomyia Rostrata (Say).” The Florida Entomologist, vol. 11, no. 2, Florida Entomological Society, 1927, pp. 17–26, https://doi.org/10.2307/3491904.

Geranomyia feeding on Goldenrod

Further Reading: The Catalogue of the Craneflies of the World (CCW) (https://ccw.naturalis[W3] .nl/litdetail.php ) is kept up to date with new literature available on the website.

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