Tanyderids are found worldwide and comprise 42 living species and 6 fossil
species. The immature stages of the extant species are aquatic to semiaquatic
including association with wet sandy soil and the outer layers of submerged
rotting logs in streams. Adult males sometimes congregate in large swarms
in evenings; spending the daylight hours in among the riparian vegetation
near the borders of streams.
In addition to the determined forms listed below, Kalugina (1992) mentioned
an undescribed tanyderid from the Upper Jurassic deposits of Kazakhstan.
Ross & Jarzembowski (1993: 408) recorded the family from the Triassic,
probably based on unpublished information.
Ref.: Crampton (1926, morphology of Macrochile spectrum);
Alexander (1931, taxonomy of Macrochile).
MACROCHILE Berendt, 1845: 57. Nomen nudum.
MACROCHILE Bronn, 1847: 597. Nomen nudum.
MACROCHILE Loew, 1850b: 37. Type species: Macrochile spectrum
Loew, 1850, by monotypy.
IDIOPLASTA, authors, not Osten Sacken, 1878, misidentification.
spectrum Loew, 1850b: 37. PA: Baltic Region (Eocene/Oligocene) [A].
PRAEMACROCHILE Kalugina in Kalugina & Kovalev, 1985:
35. Type species: Praemacrochile stackelbergi Kalugina, 1985, by
original designation.
stackelbergi Kalugina in Kalugina & Kovalev, 1985: 36.
PA: Russia (Siberia) (Middle/Upper Jurassic) [C].
*PROTANYDERUS Handlirsch, 1909: 270.: 81. Type species: Protoplasa
vipio Osten Sacken, 1877, by monotypy.
mesozoicus Kalugina, 1988: 81. PA: Mongolia (Upper Jurassic/Lower
Cretaceous) [C].
senilis Kalugina, 1992: 112 (1993: 144). PA: Mongolia (Upper Jurassic)
[C].
vetus Kalugina, 1992: 111 (1993: 142). PA: Mongolia (Upper Jurassic)
[C].
admirandus Kalugina in Kalugina & Kovalev, 1985: 36
("Tanyderites"). PA: Russia (Siberia) (Upper Jurassic)
[C].
This page last revised 29 September 1996.