Limoniinae is a subfamily of limoniid crane flies in the family Limoniidae. There are more than 30 genera and 3,700 described species in Limoniinae, found worldwide.
Like other Limoniid crane flies, most species in the Limoniinae subfamily rest with their wings folded along their body, instead of extended as with many large crane flies.
Genera These 38 genera belong to the subfamily Limoniinae:
Achyrolimonia Alexander, 1965 Amphilimnobia Alexander, 1920 Antocha Osten Sacken, 1860 Araucoxenia Alexander, 1969 Atypophthalmus Brunetti, 1911 Collessophila Theischinger, 1994 Dapanoptera Westwood, 1881 Degeneromyia Alexander, 1956 Dicranomyia Stephens, 1829 Dicranoptycha Osten Sacken, 1860 Discobola Osten Sacken, 1865 Elephantomyia Osten Sacken, 1860 Elliptera Schiner, 1863 Geranomyia Haliday, 1833 Helius Lepeletier & Serville, 1828 Lechria Skuse, 1890 Libnotes Westwood, 1876 Limnorimarga Alexander, 1945 Limonia Meigen, 1803 Lipsothrix Loew, 1873 Metalimnobia Matsumura, 1911 Neolimonia Alexander, 1964 Orimarga Osten Sacken, 1869 Orosmya Rondani, 1856 Pelosia Rondani, 1856 Platylimnobia Alexander, 1917 Protohelius Alexander, 1928 Rhipidia Meigen, 1818 Spyloptera Rondani, 1856 Taiwanina Alexander, 1928 Thaumastoptera Mik, 1866 Thrypticomyia Skuse, 1890 Tipulina Motschulsky, 1859 Tonnoiromyia Alexander, 1926 Toxorhina Loew, 1850 Trentepohlia Bigot, 1854 Trichoneura Loew, 1850 (Silveus' grass) Xenolimnobia Alexander, 1926
Ecology Most larvae within the subfamily Limoniinae are saprophagous, developing in and feeding on decaying vegetation and associated microorganisms. However, certain lineages, including Limnophila and its relatives, are predatory or occasionally frugivorous. Larvae of Limoniinae occupy a range of ecological niches but are most commonly found in thin, flowing films of water enriched with algae.Marshall, Stephen A. (2012). Flies: The Natural History and Diversity of Diptera. Firefly Books. p. 110. .
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