Family PSYCHOMYIIDAE

Museums

Regional Maps

Introduction

The family Psychomyiidae was recorded from Australia by Mosely & Kimmins (1953) for Ecnomus McLachlan and Ecnomina Kimmins, which were sebsequently removed to Ecnomidae by Neboiss (1977). In 1990, however, Neboiss re-established Psychomyiidae in Australia, with two genera, Tinodes Curtis and Zelandoptila Tillyard, each with one species.

In Australia, Tinodes is recorded from the Kakadu region of the Northern Territory, and Zelandoptila from north-eastern Queensland. Tinodes is also known from New Guinea (Kimmins 1962) and Zelandoptila from New Zealand.

The larva, pupa and female of Tinodes radona Neboiss were described by Wells (1995), from Kakadu National Park, where the larvae live in their long silken tubes above the water level on rocks in small clean streams or on rocks in the splash zone of waterfalls or on cascades. Cartwright (1997) provided a guide to late instar larvae.

Diagnosis

Ocelli absent. Maxilliary palpi 5-segmented in both sexes (6-segmented in Paludinellinae, not known in Australia); segment 1 short, segment 2 about as long as or longer than segment 1, segment 3 as long as segment 2 or segments 1 and 2 together, never inserted before the apex of segment 2, segment 4 as long as or shorter than segment 3, segment 5 about as long as segments 3 and 4 together, annulate, flexible. Antennae moderately robust, not exceeding the length of the forewing, scape shorter than head, only slightly thicker than following segments. Mesoscutum with pair of ovoid warts, scutellum with setal warts either separate or fused. In some genera females with mid-legs dilated. Claws normal. Spurs 2:4:4 (some genera may be 1:2:4 or 1:4:4).

Wings slender, rounded or tapered apically. Forewings fork 1 absent, discoidal cell short, median cell usually closed, thyridial cell very small, situated close to wing base and more or less separated from the base of median cell. Hind wing narow, lanceolate, costal margin more or less produced anteriorly at middle, fork 1 absent, forks 2, 3 and 5 usually present, fork 3 sometimes absent, discoidal cell open. (Diagnosis after Neboiss 1990).

Diagnosis References

Neboiss, A. 1990. The family Psychomyiidae (Trichoptera) re-established in Australia. Memoirs of Museum Victoria 51: 83-86

General References

Cartwright, D.I. 1998. Preliminary Guide to the Identification of Late Instar Larvae of Australian Polycentropodidae, Glossosomatidae, Dipseudopsidae and Psychomyiidae (Insecta: Trichoptera). Co-operative Research Centre for Freshwater Ecology Identification Guide No. 15. Co-operative Research Centre for Freshwater Ecology, Albury. 28 pp.

Kimmins, D.E. 1962. Miss L.E. Cheesman's expeditions to New Guinea. Trichoptera. Bulletin of the British Museum (Natural History) Entomology 11: 99-187

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. 1990. The family Psychomyiidae (Trichoptera) re-established in Australia. Memoirs of Museum Victoria 51: 83-86

Wells, A. 1995. Larva, pupa and notes on general biology of Tinodes radona Neboiss (Trichoptera: Psychomyiidae). The Beagle, Records of the Museums and Art Galleries of the Northern Territory 12: 53-59

History of changes