Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Arthropoda
Class: Insecta
Order: Diptera
Suborder: Nematocera
Infraorder: Tipulomorpha
Superfamily: Tipuloidea
Family: Tipulidae
Species: Austrotipula
Scientific name: Austrotipula hudsoni
Common name: Giant Cranefly
The New Zealand Giant crane (Austrotipula hudsoni) which can have a body length of 30mm is New Zealand largest fly. Found in wet forests south of Rotoroa.
The photo below-showing halteres ( the knobbed stalks) on crane fly just behind the wings. These halteres operate as vibrating gyroscopes. Click on photo for an enlargement.
Photos below are of Austrotipula hudsoni larvae found in the earth under an old rotting log in the Pureroa Forest, Central North Island.
Thanks to Wikipedia for text and information http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0/
