Code QT239999

Medium sized Trichoptera the larvae of which live in the bottom sediments of lakes and slow-flowing rivers. Larvae build a slightly curved, tubular case of sand grains, somewhat angular anteriorly.

Larval head narrow and elongate, with the antennae rather long (for Trichoptera) and at the anterior margin. Pronotum extremely long and slender with two pairs of dorsal sclerites anteriorly and a long, membranous, retractile posterior portion. This alone suffices to separate this family from other Trichoptera.

Mesonotum wider than pronotum with two pairs of sclerites, metanotum with a small median sclerite. Abdominal gills present, filiform. Segment 1 with a dorsal hump and small lateral humps. Segment 8 with a row of bifid spicules. Claw of proleg with a single accessory hook.

The family Atriplectididae contains two genera, one from Australia and the other monotypic from the Seychelles. The described Australian species is widely distributed in the south-east and Tasmania, with an isolated population south of Perth, another species from north Queensland is undescribed (Dean and Cartwright, 1991).

References:

Dean, J.C. and Cartwright, D.I. (1991) Keys to families of Australian Trichoptera larvae. Taxonomy Workshop, Murray-Darling Freshwater Research Centre, Victoria, Australia.

Dean, J.C., St Clair, R.M. and Cartwright, D.J. (1995) A key to late instar larvae of Australian Trichoptera families. In: Hawking, J.H. (ed.) Monitoring River Health initiative: Taxonomic Workshop Handbook. Murray-Darling Freshwater Research Centre, Victoria, Australia.

Neboiss, A. (1991) Trichoptera. pp. 787-816. In: CSIRO, Insects of Australia . Volume 2. Melbourne University Press, Carlton, Victoria.

Neboiss, A. (1992) Illustrated keys to the families and genera of Australian Trichoptera. 1. Adults. Australian Society for Limnology Special Publication 9. pp. 87.