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Guide to New Zealand's freshwater invertebrates
Cranefly
(
Tipulidae
: Eriopterini
)
Diagnostic features
The Eriopterini is a tribe within the tipulid craneflies. Like other tipulids the general body form is worm-like, with the head retracted into the body. The breathing apparatus at the tail end may be a wedge-shaped structure or a star-like arrangement of 5 short lobes. The tail segments are often swollen and wider than the rest of the body.
Typical habitats
Eriopterini larvae can be common in stony or gravelly, bush covered or farmland streams.
Feeding
New Zealand studies have shown they feed on plant detritus and a range of streambed algae.
Indicator value
An abundance of Eriopterini larvae is an indication of good water quality, particularly if mayflies and stoneflies are also abundant. They have high tolerance values of 9 (hard bottom sites) and 7.5 (soft bottom sites).
