order
Coleoptera
“Adult Beetles”
Coleoptera
“Larval Beetles”
Diptera
“True Flies”
Ephemeroptera
“Mayflies”
Hemiptera
“True Bugs”
Lepidoptera
“Aquatic Caterpillars, Snout Moths”
Megaloptera
“Alderflies, Dobsonflies, and Fishflies”
Odonata
“Dragonflies and Damselflies”
Plecoptera
“Stoneflies”
Trichoptera
“Caddisflies”
family
Hydropsychidae
Macrostemum
“Seine-net Weaver Caddisflies”
Genus Overview
This is a very distinct genus of Hydropsychidae with the large flattened space on their heads. They produce highly specialized larval retreats and capture nets. The flattened head is thought to restrict water flow through their retreats to their direct flow to their capture nets. There are 3 species in North America. They tend to be in larger streams and rivers and feed off of fine particles of organic matter, phytoplankton and bacteria.
Characteristics
POLLUTION TOLERANCE
Southeast: 3.6
Upper Midwest: 3
Midwest: 1.8
Mid-Atlantic: 3
FEEDING HABITS
Collector / Filterer
MOVEMENT
Clinger
DISTRIBUTION
Widespread (east of the Rocky Mtns.)
HABITAT
Lotic-erosional
Diagnostic Characters
Order
Prolegs With Single Hook
Family
All Nota Sclerotized
Retreat
Setal Fan On Prolegs
Ventral Branched Abdominal Gills
Genus
Carina
+ Expanded Character List
Order:
Larvae: Wings/wing pads absent. Eye spots present, but compound eyes absent. Antennae usually small, inconspicuous. Three pairs of segmented legs present on thorax. Pair of anal prolegs, each with single hook, located on last abdominal segment. Larvae can be free-living, in silken retreats attached to substrate, or in usually-portable tubes or cases made of sand, rocks, or plant material.
Family:
Pro-, meso-, and metanota entirely covered by sclerites. Ventral side of abdomen with rows of branched gills. Conspicuous tuft or fan of long hairs on each anal proleg. Anal claw with stout apical hook. Larvae building stationary retreats of silk, detritus, and rock fragments and add a silken net for filter feeding.
Genus:
Larvae up to 17.5 mm. Large flattened head. A pair of sclerites at the base of the labrum, prominent process at the base of femur
Lateral