Introduction

Small to medium sized caddis-flies (wing span 10–22 mm), found flying during daytime in bright sunshine, in a moth-like manner around flowering shrubs (Leptospermum, Melaleuca and others).

The family contains three genera and five species, all restricted to Australia. Neboiss (1987) commented on implications of characteristics of immatures of Plectrotarsus gravenhorsti Kolenati for understanding of the family relationships. 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. Antennae stout, about as long as forewing. Mouthparts either normal or forming an elongate proboscis in some species. Mesoscutum with bands of setiferous punctures and posteriorly, on either side of scutellum, a small rounded group of setiferous punctures; scutellum with setal warts connected mesally, elongate or rounded. Wings broad, rounded apically and densely pubescent; discoidal cell present, small; at the base of the hindwing there are several strong frenular bristles, vein R1 joins R2 near the wing margin.

Tibial spurs 1–2: 2–4: 4.

Larva: head only slightly longer than wide, antenna about midway between eye and anterolateral margin of the head capsule; ventral apotome broadly triangular, lateral margins distinctly convex, entirely separating genae. Pronotum short with transverse elliptic bulge; prosternal horn present, rather small, pale and membranous; mesonotum and metanotum each with three pairs of sclerites, those on metanotum rather indistinct; legs stout. Abdominal gills single or branched; lateral setal fringe present; segment 8 without lateral row of bifid spicules, segment 9 with dorsal sclerite; anal claws with two accessory hooks. Larvae construct rather untidy, tubular cases from short irregularly arranged pieces of cut vegetation and inhabit shallow, vegetation rich, lakes and swamps.

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]

Neboiss, A. 1987. Immature stages of Plectrotarsus gravenhorsti Kolenati (Trichoptera: Plectrotarsidae) and comments on likely family relationships. Proceedings of the Royal Society of Victoria 99: 135-140

History of changes

• Liapota Neboiss, A. 1959. New Caddis-fly genus from Tasmania (Trichoptera: Plectrotarsidae). Memoirs of the National Museum of Victoria, Melbourne 24: 91-96 [Date published 18 Dec. 1959] [95].

  Type species:

   Liapota lavara Neboiss, 1959 by original designation.
• Tasmania Jacquemart, S. 1965. Une espèce et un genre nouveaux de Trichoptère de Tasmanie. Bulletin de l'Institut Royal des Sciences Naturelles de Belgique 41(18): 1-6 [Date published June 1965] [2].

  Type species:

   Tasmania caparti Jacquemart, 1965 by monotypy.

Taxonomic Decision for Synonymy

• 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] [76]

Distribution

States

Tasmania

Extra Distribution Information

Australian Endemic.

IBRA

Tas: Ben Lomond (BEL), Flinders (FLI), King (KIN), Tasmanian Central Highlands (TCH), Tasmanian Northern Midlands (TNM), Tasmanian Northern Slopes (TNS), Tasmanian South East (TSE), Tasmanian Southern Ranges (TSR), Tasmanian West (TWE)

General References

Neboiss, A. 2003. New genera and species, and new records, of Tasmanian Trichoptera (Insecta). Papers and Proceedings of the Royal Society of Tasmania 136: 43-82 [dated 2002] [72] (new record)

History of changes

• Liapota lavara Neboiss, A. 1959. New Caddis-fly genus from Tasmania (Trichoptera: Plectrotarsidae). Memoirs of the National Museum of Victoria, Melbourne 24: 91-96 [Date published 18 Dec. 1959] [95].

  Type data:

   Holotype SAMA ♂, Cradle Mtn, TAS.
  Paratype(s) SAMA ♂ ♀; NMV ♂ ♀.
• Tasmania caparti Jacquemart, S. 1965. Une espèce et un genre nouveaux de Trichoptère de Tasmanie. Bulletin de l'Institut Royal des Sciences Naturelles de Belgique 41(18): 1-6 [Date published June 1965] [2].

  Type data:

   Holotype IRSNB ♂, Cradle Mtn, TAS.
  Paratype(s) IRSNB ♂.

Taxonomic Decision for Synonymy

• 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] [76]

Distribution

States

Tasmania

Extra Distribution Information

Australian Endemic.

IBRA

Tas: Ben Lomond (BEL), Flinders (FLI), King (KIN), Tasmanian Central Highlands (TCH), Tasmanian Northern Midlands (TNM), Tasmanian Northern Slopes (TNS), Tasmanian South East (TSE), Tasmanian Southern Ranges (TSR), Tasmanian West (TWE)

Ecological Descriptors

Larva: aquatic, tube case maker.

General References

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] (redescription, distribution)

Neboiss, A. 2003. New genera and species, and new records, of Tasmanian Trichoptera (Insecta). Papers and Proceedings of the Royal Society of Tasmania 136: 43-82 [dated 2002] [72] (new record)

History of changes

• Nanoplectrus 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] [77].

  Type species:

   Nanoplectrus truchanasi Neboiss, 1977 by original designation.

Distribution

States

Tasmania

Extra Distribution Information

Australian Endemic.

IBRA

Tas: Ben Lomond (BEL), Flinders (FLI), King (KIN), Tasmanian Central Highlands (TCH), Tasmanian Northern Midlands (TNM), Tasmanian Northern Slopes (TNS), Tasmanian South East (TSE), Tasmanian Southern Ranges (TSR), Tasmanian West (TWE)

General References

Neboiss, A. 2003. New genera and species, and new records, of Tasmanian Trichoptera (Insecta). Papers and Proceedings of the Royal Society of Tasmania 136: 43-82 [dated 2002] [73] (new record)

History of changes

• Nanoplectrus truchanasi 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] [77].

  Type data:

   Holotype NMV T-5205 ♂, Junction Creek, West Arthur Plains, TAS.

Distribution

States

Tasmania

Extra Distribution Information

Known only from type locality.

IBRA

Tas: Tasmanian West (TWE)

Ecological Descriptors

Larva: aquatic, tube case maker.

General References

Neboiss, A. 2003. New genera and species, and new records, of Tasmanian Trichoptera (Insecta). Papers and Proceedings of the Royal Society of Tasmania 136: 43-82 [dated 2002] [73] (new record)

History of changes

• Plectrotarsus Kolenati, F.A. 1848. Genera et species Trichopterorum. Pars 1. Actis Regiae Bohemicae Societatis Scientarum, Prague 6: 1-108, 3 pls [94].

  Type species:

   Plectrotarsus gravenhorstii Kolenati, 1848 by monotypy.

Distribution

States

New South Wales, Tasmania, Victoria, Western Australia

Extra Distribution Information

Australian Endemic.

IBRA

NSW, Tas, Vic, WA: Australian Alps (AA), Avon Wheatbelt (AW), Ben Lomond (BEL), Esperance Plains (ESP), Flinders (FLI), Geraldton Sandplains (GS), Jarrah Forest (JF), King (KIN), Mallee (MAL), Murray Darling Depression (MDD), Naracoorte Coastal Plain (NCP), NSW North Coast (NNC), Sydney Basin (SB), South East Coastal Plain (SCP), South East Corner (SEC), South Eastern Highlands (SEH), South Eastern Queensland (SEQ), Swan Coastal Plain (SWA), Tasmanian Central Highlands (TCH), Tasmanian Northern Midlands (TNM), Tasmanian Northern Slopes (TNS), Tasmanian South East (TSE), Tasmanian Southern Ranges (TSR), Tasmanian West (TWE), Victorian Midlands (VM), Victorian Volcanic Plain (VVP), Warren (WAR), Yalgoo (YAL)

General References

Neboiss, A. 2003. New genera and species, and new records, of Tasmanian Trichoptera (Insecta). Papers and Proceedings of the Royal Society of Tasmania 136: 43-82 [dated 2002] [72] (new record)

History of changes

• Plectrotarsus gravenhorstii Kolenati, F.A. 1848. Genera et species Trichopterorum. Pars 1. Actis Regiae Bohemicae Societatis Scientarum, Prague 6: 1-108, 3 pls [94].

  Type data:

   Holotype NHMW ♂, Australia (as Australia occidentali).

Distribution

States

New South Wales, Tasmania, Victoria

Extra Distribution Information

Australian Endemic.

IBRA

NSW, Tas, Vic: Australian Alps (AA), Ben Lomond (BEL), Flinders (FLI), King (KIN), Murray Darling Depression (MDD), Naracoorte Coastal Plain (NCP), NSW North Coast (NNC), Sydney Basin (SB), South East Coastal Plain (SCP), South East Corner (SEC), South Eastern Highlands (SEH), South Eastern Queensland (SEQ), Tasmanian Central Highlands (TCH), Tasmanian Northern Midlands (TNM), Tasmanian Northern Slopes (TNS), Tasmanian South East (TSE), Tasmanian Southern Ranges (TSR), Tasmanian West (TWE), Victorian Midlands (VM), Victorian Volcanic Plain (VVP)

Ecological Descriptors

Larva: lentic freshwater, tube case maker.

General References

Cummings, B.F. 1914. Note on the characters of the head and mouth-parts in the genera Plectrotarsus and Aethaloptera. Annals and Magazine of Natural History 8 14: 22-31 [Date published July 1914] (mouthparts)

Hagen, H. 1881. On the proboscis of Nemognatha. Proceedings of the Boston Society of Natural History 20: 429-430

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] (redescription, reference)

Neboiss, A. 1959. New Caddis-fly genus from Tasmania (Trichoptera: Plectrotarsidae). Memoirs of the National Museum of Victoria, Melbourne 24: 91-96 [Date published 18 Dec. 1959] (distribution)

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] (species name emended, distribution)

Neboiss, A. 1987. Immature stages of Plectrotarsus gravenhorsti Kolenati (Trichoptera: Plectrotarsidae) and comments on likely family relationships. Proceedings of the Royal Society of Victoria 99: 135-140 (larva, pupa)

Neboiss, A. 2003. New genera and species, and new records, of Tasmanian Trichoptera (Insecta). Papers and Proceedings of the Royal Society of Tasmania 136: 43-82 [dated 2002] [72] (new record)

History of changes

• Plectrotarsus minor 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] [26].

  Type data:

   Holotype BMNH ♂, Albany, WA.
  Paratype(s) BMNH ♂ ♀.

Distribution

States

Western Australia

Extra Distribution Information

Australian Endemic.

IBRA

WA: Avon Wheatbelt (AW), Esperance Plains (ESP), Geraldton Sandplains (GS), Jarrah Forest (JF), Mallee (MAL), Swan Coastal Plain (SWA), Warren (WAR), Yalgoo (YAL)

Ecological Descriptors

Larva: aquatic, tube case maker.

General References

Neboiss, A. 1959. New Caddis-fly genus from Tasmania (Trichoptera: Plectrotarsidae). Memoirs of the National Museum of Victoria, Melbourne 24: 91-96 [Date published 18 Dec. 1959] (distribution)

Neboiss, A. 1982. The caddis-flies (Trichoptera) of south-western Australia. Australian Journal of Zoology 30: 271-325 [Date published 1 June 1982] (distribution)

History of changes

• Plectrotarsus tasmanicus Mosely, M.E. 1936. Tasmanian Trichoptera or Caddis-flies. Proceedings of the Zoological Society of London 1936: 395-424 [396].

  Type data:

   Holotype BMNH ♂, Miena, Great Lake, TAS.
  Paratype(s) BMNH ♂ ♀.

Distribution

States

Tasmania

Extra Distribution Information

Australian Endemic.

IBRA

Tas: Ben Lomond (BEL), Flinders (FLI), King (KIN), Tasmanian Central Highlands (TCH), Tasmanian Northern Midlands (TNM), Tasmanian Northern Slopes (TNS), Tasmanian South East (TSE), Tasmanian Southern Ranges (TSR), Tasmanian West (TWE)

Ecological Descriptors

Larva: lentic freshwater, tube case maker.

General References

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] (redescription)

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] (redescription, distribution)

Neboiss, A. 1987. Immature stages of Plectrotarsus gravenhorsti Kolenati (Trichoptera: Plectrotarsidae) and comments on likely family relationships. Proceedings of the Royal Society of Victoria 99: 135-140 (larva)

Neboiss, A. 2003. New genera and species, and new records, of Tasmanian Trichoptera (Insecta). Papers and Proceedings of the Royal Society of Tasmania 136: 43-82 [dated 2002] [72] (new record)

History of changes