2. Tricoptera Flashcards
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Tricoptera
Ecnomidae
Structure • Soft, smooth body • No gills on the sides • Distinctive pattern on the head • Three hardened segments behind the head
Behaviour
• Active crawling
• Active flicking of the abdomen when floating
Habitat
• Stones, submerged aquatic vegetation
• Slow streams
• Quiet pools
Tricoptera
Ecnomidae (Genus: Parecnontina)
Structure • Soft, smooth body • No gills on the sides • Distinctive segment behind the head • Could be mistaken for Psychomyiidae Behaviour • Crawling • Floats on the surface when disturbed Habitat • Silk tunnels under stones • Head waters of streams
Tricoptera
Polycentropodidae
Structure
• Broad body
• First segment behind head hardened
• Black hair on legs
• Characteristic protuberances where legs join
body
• Characteristic pattern on the head
Behaviour
• Crawling
Habitat
• Silken nets on stones
• Fast flowing waterTricoptera
Hydropsychidae
Structure
• Long slender body
• Tufts of gills on both sides of the body
• Two claws on last body segment
• Distinctive patterns or colorations on the head are
useful for identification purposes
Behaviour
• Crawling, using legs and claws on last segment
• Float about in vertical position while abdomen is
flicked from side to side
Habitat
• Under stones, living in shelters made of sand
grains
• Fast flowing rivers
Tricoptera
Philopotamidae
Structure
• Large head with well-developed mouthparts
• Soft white labrum visible when extended
• Soft bodies, brightly coloured
• No gills on the sides
Behaviour
• A fast, vicious twitching of the body
• Crawling backwards when held in the hand
Habitat
• Narrow silken tubes under stones
• Fast flowing streams
Tricoptera
Psychomyiidae
Structure
• Soft, smooth body
• No gills on the sides
Behaviour
• Crawling
• Floats on the surface with body curled up when
disturbed
Habitat
• Silk tunnels under stones
• On wet rocks around waterfalls
• Head waters of streams
Tricoptera
Hydroptilidae
Structure
• Cases are constructed from silk or very fine sand with vegetable matter
• Oval, bottle-shaped or cylindrical
• Open on both ends
• Anchored to substrate by means of silk threads or
anchoring discs
Behaviour
• Not active
Habitat
• On or under stones
• Slow to very slow flowing stream
Tricoptera
Pisuliidae
Structure
• Fairly large, solid case
• Constructed from large bits of leaves
• No swimming hair on legs
Behaviour
• Active crawling
Habitat
• Leaf pockets
• Streams with overhanging trees
• Slow moving streams, backwaters or fast streams
with areas where dead leaves gather
Tricoptera
Leptoceridae
Structure
• Cases straight or curved
• Constructed from plant material, silk or sand
• Long swimming legs, densely fringed
Behaviour
• Active swimming
• Resembles swimming sticks
Habitat
• Amongst vegetation
• Acid streams of Western and Southern Cape
• Any stream with low pH
Tricoptera
Hydropsychidae
Aethaloptera maxima
- Long tufted gills
- Head pale with faint pattern
- Large mouthparts
Tricoptera
Hydropsychidae
Hydropsyche sp.
• Hourglass Pattern
Tricoptera
Hydropsychidae
Cheumatopsyche afra type
• Triangular Pattern
Tricoptera
Hydropsychidae
Cheumatopsyche thomasetti
• Square pattern
Tricoptera
Hydropsychidae
Macrostemum capense
- Flat head
- Large mouthparts
- Head chestnut brown with no pattern
Tricoptera
Hydropsychidae
Polymorphanisus bipunctatus
• Long slender head and neck
