Erioptera

Meigen, 1803

Species Guides

16

Erioptera is a of crane flies in the Limoniidae, established by Meigen in 1803. The genus contains multiple subgenera and distributed across temperate regions including North America, Europe, and Asia. At least one species, Erioptera squalida, has been documented as a root-piercing insect with specialized spiracular structures for accessing plant root gas spaces.

Erioptera vespertina by (c) Bill Keim, some rights reserved (CC BY), uploaded by Bill Keim. Used under a CC-BY license.Erioptera tantilla by (c) Arturo Santos, some rights reserved (CC BY), uploaded by Arturo Santos. Used under a CC-BY license.Erioptera parva by (c) skitterbug, some rights reserved (CC BY), uploaded by skitterbug. Used under a CC-BY license.

Pronunciation

How to pronounce Erioptera: /ˌɛriˈɒptərə/

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Images

Habitat

Wet or riparian environments; at least one (E. squalida) has been observed in muddy conditions associated with aquatic or semi-aquatic vegetation.

Distribution

Documented from Denmark, Norway, Sweden, and Vermont (United States); broader distribution inferred from subgeneric diversity to include North America, Europe, and Asia.

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Sources and further reading