Family Lepidostomatidae - Bizarre Caddisflies

Classification · Other Common Names · Explanation of Names · Numbers · Identification · Range · Habitat · Food · Internet References

Classification

Kingdom Animalia (Animals)

Phylum Arthropoda (Arthropods)

Class Insecta (Insects)

Order Trichoptera (Caddisflies)

Family Lepidostomatidae (Bizarre Caddisflies)

Other Common Names

Lepidostomatid Case-makers (or Lepidostomatid Case Maker Caddisflies)

Log-cabin Caddisflies (but more often used in reference to family Brachycentridae)

Explanation of Names

LEPIDOSTOMATIDAE: from the Greek "lepis; lepidos" (a scale; husk) + "stoma; stomatos" (a mouth)

Numbers

69 species in 2 genera in North America (nearctica.com)

Identification

larvae construct "log cabin" cases or "chimney" cases made of leaf pieces, leaf stems, or sand grains; larva has a lateral hump on first abdominal segment, and its antennae is situated close to anterior edge of eye

Range

throughout North America

Habitat

larvae live in springs, streams, and large slow-moving rivers

Food

larvae feed on detritus (decomposing plant matter)

Internet References

live adult image of undetermined Lepidostomatidae species (Alex Wild, California)

live larva image, minus case of undetermined Lepidostoma species (David Larson, Western Washington U.)

live larvae image inside case of undetermined Lepidostomatidae species (James Harrington, Govt. of California)

common name reference [Bizarre Caddisflies] and larval case description (Insects of Cedar Creek, Minnesota)

common name reference [Lepidostomatid Case-maker] (Big Creek Reserve, California)

common name reference [Lepidostomatid Case Maker Caddisflies] (xerces.org)

common name reference [Bizarre Caddisflies] (U. of Georgia)

Contributed by Tony-2 on 16 April, 2005 - 10:13am
Additional contributions by Robin McLeod
Last updated 25 September, 2005 - 7:18am

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