Tipula metacomet

Alexander, 1965

Metacomet crane fly

Tipula metacomet is a large crane fly in the Tipulidae, described by Charles Paul Alexander in 1965. The is named after Metacomet (also known as King Philip), a Wampanoag chief who led Native American resistance against English colonists in New England during the 1670s. It is one of numerous crane fly species in the Tipula, which is the largest genus of crane flies with hundreds of species distributed across the Northern Hemisphere.

Tipula metacomet by (c) Katja Schulz, some rights reserved (CC BY). Used under a CC-BY license.

Giant Crane Fly Male Genitalia (29480192855) by Katja Schulz from Washington, D. C., USA. Used under a CC BY 2.0 license.

Giant Crane Fly Male (29371590152) by Katja Schulz from Washington, D. C., USA. Used under a CC BY 2.0 license.

Pronunciation

How to pronounce Tipula metacomet: /ˈtɪpjʊlə mɛtəˈkoʊmɛt/

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Images

Distribution

Nearctic region; documented from Massachusetts, Pennsylvania, and Vermont in the northeastern United States.

More Details

Etymology

The specific epithet 'metacomet' honors the Wampanoag sachem Metacomet (c. 1638–1676), known to English colonists as King Philip. He led a major uprising against colonial expansion in southern New England during 1675–1676, known as King Philip's War. The use of this name follows a pattern in Alexander's of commemorating historical figures, particularly those associated with the regions where occur.