Limoniid
Guides
Atarba picticornis
Atarba picticornis is a limoniid crane fly whose larvae develop in decaying hardwood logs and stumps, where they feed on decomposing wood and associated fungi. The life cycle spans approximately one year, with adults emerging in spring to mate in swarms near larval habitat sites. This species functions as a decomposer in forest ecosystems and has been documented across eastern North America from Canada to the southern United States.
Dactylolabis hudsonica
Dactylolabis hudsonica is a crane fly species in the family Limoniidae. It inhabits madicolous environments—thin water films on vertical or overhanging rock surfaces—in eastern North America. The species was described by Alexander in 1931. Its larval and pupal stages have been documented, and larvae can be distinguished from the related D. montana using morphological characters.
Dactylolabis montana
Dactylolabis montana is a species of limoniid crane fly inhabiting madicolous environments in eastern North America. The species develops in thin water films on rock surfaces, with distinct larval and pupal stages described. It occurs from Ontario and Newfoundland south to Kansas, Arkansas, Mississippi, Tennessee, and South Carolina.
Elliptera tennessa
Elliptera tennessa is a species of limoniid crane fly described by Charles Paul Alexander in 1926. The species epithet references Tennessee, indicating its type locality. As a member of Limoniidae, it belongs to a diverse family of delicate, long-legged flies often mistaken for mosquitoes. Published records for this species are sparse.
Epiphragma fasciapenne
Band-winged Crane Fly
Epiphragma fasciapenne is a species of limoniid crane fly native to North America. It is commonly known as the Band-winged Crane Fly, a name derived from the distinctive wing pattern that characterizes this species. The species was first described by Thomas Say in 1823 and is among the more frequently observed crane flies in its range, with over 2,800 citizen science records. It belongs to the family Limoniidae, a diverse group of crane flies often found in moist woodland habitats.
Eugnophomyia luctuosa
Eugnophomyia luctuosa is a species of limoniid crane fly in the family Limoniidae, order Diptera. It was described by Osten Sacken in 1860. The species is distributed across the Nearctic and Neotropical regions, with records from the United States, Mexico, Guatemala, and Colombia. Like other crane flies in this family, it belongs to a diverse group of delicate, long-legged flies commonly found in moist habitats.
Hexatoma brevioricornis
Hexatoma brevioricornis is a species of limoniid crane fly described by Charles Paul Alexander in 1941. The species belongs to the family Limoniidae, a diverse group of crane flies often characterized by relatively short antennae compared to other tipuloid families. It occurs in eastern North America, with records spanning from Quebec to Massachusetts and southward to Kansas, Texas, Tennessee, and North Carolina. The specific epithet 'brevioricornis' refers to the relatively short antennae characteristic of this species.
Hexatoma wilsonii
Hexatoma wilsonii is a species of limoniid crane fly (family Limoniidae) first described by Osten Sacken in 1869. The species is known from the eastern United States, with records from Ohio to Delaware and south to North Carolina. Like other members of the genus Hexatoma, adults are characterized by reduced wing venation and distinctive leg structure. The species has been documented through a small number of observations on iNaturalist (7 records), suggesting it may be underreported or genuinely uncommon.
Ilisia armillaris
Ilisia armillaris is a crane fly species in the family Limoniidae, originally described as Erioptera armillaris by Osten Sacken in 1869. It is currently classified in the genus Ilisia based on morphological and phylogenetic revisions of the Chioneinae subfamily. The species is distributed across eastern North America, from the Great Plains to the Atlantic coast. Like other limoniid crane flies, adults are delicate and long-legged, though specific ecological details remain poorly documented.
Limonia duplicata
Limonia duplicata is a species of limoniid crane fly originally described by Doane in 1900. The species is currently treated as a synonym of Rhipidia maculata. It has been recorded across a broad geographic range spanning the Nearctic, West Palearctic, and East Palearctic regions, including North America from Alaska to California and Tennessee, much of Europe, and eastward through Russia, Central Asia, East Asia, and China.
Limonia hudsonica
Limonia hudsonica is a species of limoniid crane fly in the family Limoniidae. It is currently recognized as a synonym of Metalimnobia hudsonica. The species occurs across northern North America, including Canada and the northern United States.
Limonia immatura
Limonia immatura is a Nearctic species of limoniid crane fly described by Osten Sacken in 1859. The species is currently recognized as a synonym of Metalimnobia immatura, reflecting taxonomic reclassification within the family Limoniidae. It occurs across a broad range of eastern and central North America.
Limonia indigena
Limonia indigena is a species of limoniid crane fly described by Osten Sacken in 1860. It is recognized as the type species of the genus Limonia. Three subspecies have been described: L. i. indigena, L. i. jacksoni, and L. i. loloensis.
Limonia marmorata
Limonia marmorata is a species of limoniid crane fly in the family Limoniidae. The species was originally described by Osten-Sacken in 1861. It is currently treated as a synonym of Dicranomyia marmorata. The species is known from the Nearctic region, with records from Canada and the western United States.
Limonia rostrata
Limonia rostrata is a species of limoniid crane fly in the family Limoniidae. It is currently treated as a synonym of Geranomyia rostrata by some taxonomic authorities. The species was described by Thomas Say in 1823. Like other limoniid crane flies, it belongs to a diverse group of delicate, long-legged flies often found in moist habitats.
Ormosia romanovichiana
Ormosia romanovichiana is a species of limoniid crane fly described by Charles Paul Alexander in 1953. It belongs to a family of small, delicate crane flies that are often mistaken for mosquitoes due to their slender bodies and long legs. The species has been documented across a broad range of eastern North America. Like other members of Limoniidae, adults are weak fliers and are frequently encountered in moist, shaded habitats.
Pilaria recondita
Pilaria recondita is a species of limoniid crane fly first described from the Nearctic region. The species occurs across eastern North America, from Minnesota and Ontario south to Louisiana and Florida. It belongs to the family Limoniidae, a diverse group of small to medium-sized crane flies often associated with moist habitats. The specific epithet 'recondita' (meaning hidden or concealed) may allude to its cryptic nature or habitat preferences.
Pseudolimnophila contempta
Pseudolimnophila contempta is a species of crane fly in the family Limoniidae, described by Osten Sacken in 1869. It belongs to a genus characterized by reduced wing venation and aquatic or semi-aquatic larval habitats. The species occurs across eastern North America, from Ontario and Newfoundland south to Kansas and Florida. Like other limoniid crane flies, adults are delicate, long-legged flies with slender bodies. The genus name refers to its superficial resemblance to true limoniids of the genus Limnophila.
Pseudolimnophila inornata
Pseudolimnophila inornata is a species of limoniid crane fly in the family Limoniidae, first described by Osten Sacken in 1869 under the basionym Limnophila inornata. The species is recognized as having two subspecies: the nominate P. i. inornata and P. i. vidua Alexander, 1943. As a member of the Limoniidae, it belongs to a diverse family of slender, long-legged crane flies commonly found in moist habitats.
Toxorhina magna
Toxorhina magna is a species of limoniid crane fly found in eastern North America. Adults are characterized by yellowish-brown coloration, which distinguishes them from the grayish congener Toxorhina muliebris. The species has been documented from the Atlantic coast west to Michigan and south to Florida. Like other crane flies, it belongs to a group of delicate, long-legged flies whose larvae typically develop in moist soil or decaying organic matter.