Australian Biological Resources Study

Australian Faunal Directory

Museums

Regional Maps

Family HELICOPHIDAE

Introduction

Small to medium sized caddis-flies (wing span 8–15 mm), inconspicuous, dark greyish; they are known from clear, swift flowing streams in forested areas.

The family's distribution is restricted to Australia and New Zealand, where a total of four genera and 10 species are known. Three genera and seven species are listed for Australia since Neboiss (2002) established a new monotypic genus, Heloccabus. Several studies have highlighted the problems of distinguishing the Helicophidae and other 'sericostomatoid' families, among them that of Drektrah (1984). Jackson (1998) produced a guide to late instar larvae.

 

Diagnosis

Adult: ocelli absent. Maxillary palpi 5-segmented in both sexes. Antennae not exceeding the length of forewing, basal segment about as long as the head; posterolateral setal warts large. Pronotum with one pair of elongate warts; mesoscutum without setal warts; scutellum with a single or a pair of small setal warts. Forewing elongate oval, with or without discoidal cell, jugal lobe reduced, venation often differing in sexes; hindwing with a row of hamuli along the basal half of the anterior margin, large vein-free area discally (at the centre of the wing).

Tibial spurs 2: 2: 4.

Larva: with more or less developed anterolateral carina on dorsum of head; antennae about midway between eye and anterior margin of the head capsule. Mesonotum with reduced sclerites; metanotum sclerites small; abdominal segment 1 with dorsal and lateral spacing humps; gills, lateral fringe and sclerite on segment 9 are all absent; there is a lateral band of bifid spicules on segment 8; claw of the anal proleg with a single accessory hook. Larvae construct slightly curved cylindrical tube cases of sand grains or plant fragments.

 

History of changes

Note that this list may be incomplete for dates prior to September 2013.
Published As part of group Action Date Action Type Compiler(s)
11-Oct-2012 11-Oct-2012 MODIFIED
01-Nov-2011 01-Nov-2011 MODIFIED
01-Aug-2011 MODIFIED