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
Limnephilidae
Platycentropus
“Northern Casemaker Caddisflies”
Genus Overview
3 species in North America. Larvae live in cool streams to warm ponds. Cases are made of plant materials. Length of larva up to 22mm.
Characteristics
POLLUTION TOLERANCE
FEEDING HABITS
Shredder / Detritivore
Shredder / Herbivore
Shredder / Herbivore
MOVEMENT
Climber
DISTRIBUTION
Widespread (east of the Rocky Mtns.)
HABITAT
Lentic-littoral
Lotic-depositional
Lotic-depositional
Diagnostic Characters
Order
Prolegs With Single Hook
Family
Antenna Between Mandibles and Eyes
Genus
Chloride Epithelia Cells
Gills With Three Filaments
Prosternal Horn
+ 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:
As in all families of superfamily Limnephiloidea, short, inconspicuous antennae are each located about midway between base of mandible and eye. Prosternal horn usually present. Chloride epithelia usually present on at least some abdominal segments. Otherwise distinguished from other Limnephiloidea families as follows: Mandibles usually toothed and setae usually absent between anterodorsal (sa1) sclerites or, if present then fewer than 25 setae (unlike Apataniidae). Mesonotum not notched along anterior margin (unlike Thremmatidae). Mesopleura not expanded as in Goeridae. Larvae usually large when mature and building tubular cases of varying materials, usually rocks or rough plant materials. Mature larvae 6–30 mm.
Genus:
Notable is the length of the prosternal horn, abdominal segment have both ventral and lateral chloride epithelia cells. Gills tend to be three-branched.
Dorsal
Lateral
Ventral
Case