Phylum Arthropoda Class Insecta Order Trichoptera

Trichoptera Characteristics Tricho = hair; ptera = wing; silky hairs cover much of the body and wing 320 sp in PA (Masteller), >7000 in world. Adults are nocturnal, weak fliers; most are short-lived; vestigial mouthparts; wings held tentlike over abdomen. Holometabolous Most have little economic, but great ecological importance.

Adults

Larvae and Cases

Immatures Eruciform (caterpillar-like) body Abdomen often enclosed in case of natural materials such as sticks, plant fragments, sand grains, etc. Well-developed head capsule Thread-like abdominal gills usually present in case-makers Often one pair of hooked prolegs present on terminal caudal appendage

Ecological Roles Grazers/scrapers-feed on biofilm of diatoms and algae comprising the periphyton. Includes some mayflies (e.g., Stenonema) and some caddisflies. Shredders-feed directly on CPOM, converting it to FPOM. Includes some stoneflies, caddisflies, and cranefly larvae. Collectors Filtering collectors-may build a net which they either pick clean or consume, contents and all. Includes many caddisflies (e.g. Brachycentrus and Hydropsyche.) Gathering collectors-collect FPOM from around and under rocks as well as from interstitial spaces. Includes, among others, mayflies such as Baetis and Ephemerella. Predators-examples include most beetle larvae and most stonefly larvae.

References Masteller, E. Trichoptera of Pennsylvania http://bio.bd.psu.edu/ecm/trichoptera.html Wright, M. Key to Trichoptera (Caddisflies) of Pennsylvania http://www.washjeff.edu/Chartiers/Chartier/KEY/Trichoptera/trikeytofamily.html