Code QT089999

Small to medium sized Trichoptera of lentic and lotic habitat. The larvae construct fixed tubes of silk incorporating plant and mineral material, attached to logs and rocks.

All three thoracic nota are sclerotised, with the pronotal sclerite extended posteroventrally. There are no abdominal gills. The anal prolegs are long, the claws curved, narrow, with a ventral comb of minute spinules along the concave margin.

Ecnomid larvae feed on organic materials.

There are two genera known from Australia, containing some 56 named species.

References:

Cartwright, D.I. (1991) Key to mature larvae of the families Ecnomidae, Philopotamidae and Polycentropodidae of Australia. 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.