Family LIMNEPHILIDAE

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Introduction

This family contains the largest of Australian caddis-flies (wing span 25–40 mm); the wings are broad and distinctive uniformly yellowish brown.

The family Limnephilidae is widely distributed in the cooler regions of the Palaearctic and Nearctic from which about 30 genera and 1,000 species are recorded. In Australia there is one genus with three species, restricted to the SE of the continent and Tasmania. Dean (2000) provided preliminary keys for identification of late instar larvae.

Diagnosis

Adult: ocelli present. Maxillary palpi 3-segmented in male, 5-segmented in female, slightly pubescent; labial palpi small. Antennae as long as, or slightly shorter than forewing, basal segment enlarged. Mesoscutum with a pair of small setal warts (Australian species); scutellum with either a pair of separate or one continuous mesal wart. Forewing with discoidal cell closed; median cell absent; anal veins fused; hindwing usually broader than forewing.

Tibial spurs 1: 2: 2 (Australian species); tibiae and tarsi usually armed with several rows of strong dark spines.

Larva: head with the antennae midway between the eye and anterolateral margin of the head capsule. Prosternal horn present; mesonotal sclerites usually not subdivided; metanotum with two or three pairs of small sclerites. Abdominal gills branched; lateral fringe present; segment 8 without a lateral row of bifid spicules. Larval case tubular, constructed of combination of plant and mineral materials. Larvae of all Australian species are found in small to medium size, fast flowing mountain streams and feed on detritus and fine organic particles.

General References

Dean, J.C. 2000. Preliminary Keys for the Identification of Australian Caddisfly Larvae of the Families Antipodoeciidae, Atriplectididae, Limnephilidae and Plectrotarsidae. Identification Guide No. 31. Co-operative Research Centre for Freshwater Ecology, Albury. 16 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]

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