Family HELICOPHIDAE

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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.

General References

Drecktrah, G. 1984. Description of the immature stages of Alloecella grisea Banks (Trichoptera: Helicophidae) and morphological characteristics used to distinguish between larvae of Australian Calocidae, Conoesucidae and Helicophidae. pp. 115-122 in Morse, J.C. (ed.). Proceedings 4th International Symposium on Trichoptera, Clemson, South Carolina 11–16 July, 1983. (Series Entomologica Vol. 30). The Hague : W. Junk.

Jackson, J. 1998. Preliminary Guide to the Identification of Late Instar Larvae of Australian Calocidae, Helicophidae and Conoesucidae (Insecta: Trichoptera). Co-operative Research Centre for Freshwater Ecology Identification Guide No. 16. Co-operative Research Centre for Freshwater Ecology, Albury. 81 pp.

Mosely, M.E. & Kimmins, D.E. 1953. The Trichoptera (Caddis-flies) of Australia and New Zealand. London : British Museum (Natural History) 550 pp. [Date published 6 Feb. 1953]

Neboiss, A. 1977. A taxonomic and zoogeographic study of Tasmanian caddis-flies (Insecta: Trichoptera). Memoirs of the National Museum of Victoria, Melbourne 38: 1-208 [Date published 4 Apr. 1977]

Neboiss, A. 2002. A family problem with placement of Heloccabus buccinatus gen. nov. & sp. nov., an Australian caddisfly (Insecta: Trichoptera). pp. 195-204 in Mey, W. (ed.). Proceedings of the 10th International Symposium on Trichoptera. Keltern : Nova Supplementa Entomologica Vol. 15(2002).

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