Trichoptera: Lepidostomatidae of Gunnison County, ColoradoLepidostoma unicolor(Banks, 1911)Updated 29 January 2026
TSN 116821 Good LinksOn this website:Lepidostoma Introduction Other Websites: Photos, Map, Taxon Identifier Numbers - from the Global Biodiversity Information Facility Lepidostoma unicolor at GBIF Photos, Map, Museum specimens, DNA - Barcodinglife.org University of Alberta Entomology Collection Species page Has description, habitat information, range and more. ReferencesAnderson,NH and Grafius,E 1975 Utilization and processing of allochthonous material by stream Trichoptera: With 4 figures in the text. Internationale Vereinigung für theoretische und angewandte Limnologie: Verhandlungen, 19(4), pp.3083-3088.Anderson,NH; Sedell,JR Roberts,LM and Triska,FJ 1978 The role of aquatic invertebrates in processing of wood debris in coniferous forest streams. American Midland Naturalist 100(1) 64-82. Abstract and first page. Banks,N 1911 Descriptions of new species of North American Neuropterid Insects. Transactions of American Entomological Society 37, 335-360. Described as Mormomyia unicolor.  
Going,BM and Dudley,TL 2008 Invasive riparian plant litter alters aquatic insect growth. Biological Invasions, 10(7), pp.1041-1051. Abstract: " In a laboratory study, we examined growth and survival of the caddisfly, Lepidostoma unicolor, feeding on two types of native leaf litter (Alnus rhombifolia [Alder] and a Salicaceae mix [Salix spp. and Populus fremontii]) and two invasive, non-native species (Tamarix ramosissima [saltcedar] and Arundo donax [giant reed]). Larval survival was high (>85%), and did not differ, among those fed Alnus, Salicaceae, or Tamarix litter, but was much lower (20%) for larvae fed Arundo litter. Mean dry biomass of larvae fed Tamarix was 45% greater than that of larvae fed Alnus, and both were significantly greater than the biomasses of insects fed Salicaceae or Arundo. Although both Alnus and Tamarix increased in percent nitrogen with conditioning, Alnus had a significantly higher nitrogen content (4.9 and 3.6%, respectively). Final C : N-values for Alnus and Tamarix were below 18, while C : N for Arundo and Salicaceae were 56 and 44, respectively. Greater growth of larvae fed Tamarix is likely due to the high nutritive value of the conditioned litter, whereas conditioning of Arundo litter did not result in improved nutritive values. Larvae in the Alnus and Salicaceae treatments fed on the entire surface of the leaves until only the skeletons remained. In contrast, larvae in the Arundo treatments focused feeding activity along the margins and the torn portions of the blades. The low nutritional quality of Arundo and the high quality, but ephemeral nature of Tamarix litter potentially have negative effects on stream invertebrate production owing to the quality and duration of availability of leaf litter, as compared with native riparian vegetation." Grafius,E and Anderson,NH 1980Populations dynamics and role of two species of Lepidostoma (Trichoptera: Lepidostomatidae) in an Oregon coniferous forest stream. Ecology 61(4) 808-816. PDF Abstract: "The aim of this study was to gather quantitative field and laboratory data on the role of Lepidostoma cascadense (Milne) and Lepidostoma unicolor (Banks) in the processing of conifer needles in a stream ecosystem. Samples were collected monthly in a riffle-pool section of Mack Creek, Lane County, Oregon, USA. For L. cascadense, maximum larval density was 812/m2 and instantaneous growth rate was 1.5%/d. The larvae grew slowly throughout the winter and pupation occurred in May and June. In contrast, L. unicolor increased very little in size during the winter and grew very rapidly during June and early July, reaching a maximum larval density of 320/m2 and with an instantaneous growth rate (March through July) of 2.7%/d. Production of L. cascadense was estimated as 0.31 g•m-2•yr-1 and that of L. unicolor was 0.23 g••m-2•yr-1. In addition to temporal separation in periods of maximum growth, the two species occurred in different microhabitats. L. cascadense larvae were found within the sediments and debris while L. unicolor occurred on the surface of the debris. Laboratory studies were conducted with L. unicolor larvae. Consumption and fecal production rates (measured gravimetrically) increased with higher temperature, greater food density, or longer conditioning time of the food, and decreases with increased size of the larvae. Production and biomass of L. cascadense and L. unicolor in Mack Creek are minor in relation to other insects in the system. However, because of high consumption rates and low assimilation efficiency, the processing of large particulate organic matter by these two species contributed significantly to the food available to collectors in the study area." Kominoski,JS; Larranaga,S and Richardson,JS 2012 Invertebrate feeding and emergence timing vary among streams along a gradient of riparian forest composition. Freshwater biology, 57(4), pp.759-772. PDF Abstract: "1. The quality of allochthonous organic matter influences the transfer of energy and nutrients through recipient food webs. We investigated the effects of variation in the composition of riparian forests (deciduous, mixed, coniferous) on the elemental imbalance between basal resources and consumers in streams, on consumer feeding and on potential feedbacks to riparian systems via emergent aquatic insects. 2. We tested for differences in elemental stoichiometry (carbon/nitrogen/phosphorus; C/N/P) and stable isotopes (∂13C and ∂15N) between deciduous (red alder, Alnus rubra) and coniferous litter (western hemlock, Tsuga heterophylla) and among abundant stream invertebrates from streams draining different riparian forests (deciduous, mixed, coniferous). We then assessed shredder feeding preferences (of the trichopteran, Lepidostoma unicolor) for litter incubated in streams with these different forest types and quantified differences in emergence of aquatic and semiaquatic insects among streams. 3. Both initial (non-incubated) and stream-incubated A. rubra litter had lower C/N and C/P and were more depleted in ∂13C and more enriched in ∂15N, than T. heterophylla litter. The stoichiometry of invertebrate tissue did not vary significantly among taxa or with riparian forest composition. A predator (the plecopteran Chloroperlidae) and a collector-gatherer (the ephemeropteran Paraleptophlebia gregalis) from mixed and coniferous forest streams were more enriched in ∂13C and ∂15N isotopes than those from deciduous streams, suggesting that low availability of palatable, N-rich A. rubra litter may constrain energy flow and nutrient fluxes up through the food web in systems with little or no A. rubra. 4. Consumption of A. rubra litter by L. unicolor was most rapid when the litter had been incubated in streams draining deciduous forests, whereas consumption of T. heterophylla litter was not influenced by the composition of the riparian forest. 5. Peak insect emergence from coniferous forest streams occurred 1 month earlier and at 2-s3× higher density than from mixed and deciduous-forest streams, but total biomass of emerging insects throughout the study period was not different between forest types. Assemblages of emerging insects were different between deciduous and coniferous forest streams, and taxon richness and diversity were nearly 2× greater from deciduous than from coniferous forest streams. 6. Forest composition influences stream invertebrate feeding and could have reciprocal feedbacks onto riparian systems via altered insect emergence. " Myers,MJ and Resh,VH 2002 Trichoptera and other macroinvertebrates in springs of the Great Basin: species composition, richness, and distribution. Western North American Naturalist 62(1) 1-13. PDF Quote from page 6: "We collected a total of 58 different species in 14 different families of caddisflies (Table 5). Four to 18 species were found in a spring. Several springs had very similar physicochemical characteristics; however, none had identical trichopteran composition. Although Lepidostoma cascadense and Rhyacophila brunnea were restricted to cold springs, they were collected from the most springs (12 each). Lepidostoma rayneri, L. roafi, and L. unicolor were also frequently collected (10, 8, and 7 springs, respectively). Across the region (including all 170 springs surveyed), Hesperophylax designatus was the most commonly encountered caddisfly. It was found in temporary springs, springs impacted by grazing, very cold springs at high elevations, and a few of the warmer (14°C), low-elevation springs. Of the 28 springs intensively studied, it was present in 11." Peterson,JL; Jepson,PC and Jenkins,JJ 2001 A test system to evaluate the susceptibility of Oregon, USA, native stream invertebrates to triclopyr and carbaryl. Environmental toxicology and chemistry, 20(10), pp.2205-2214. PDF Abstract: "The susceptibility of six indigenous macroinvertebrate species representative of U.S. Pacific Northwest streams (Ameletus sp., Brachycentrus americanus, Calineuria californica, Cinygma sp., Lepidostoma unicolor, Psychoglypha sp. early and late instar) to formulated triclopyr ester (herbicide) and carbaryl (insecticide) was determined using laboratory bioassays. Acute toxicity was expressed as the lethal concentration to 50% (LC50) and 1% (LC1) of the test population based on a 96-h exposure duration. Carbaryl was found to be 1,000 times more toxic than triclopyr for all the organisms tested. The LC1 values (7.5, 28.8, 9.0, 3.0, 9.5, 14.8, 33.8 µg/L, respectively, for carbaryl and 1.8, 3.9, 4.0, 4.2, 29.0, 16.1 mg/L, respectively, for triclopyr) were used in the calculation of hazardous concentration to 5% of the stream macroinvertebrate community (HC5) based on the lower 95% confidence limit (HC5/95). The hazardous concentration (HC5/95) for triclopyr was 0.11 mg/L and for carbaryl ranged from 0.43 to 0.66 µg/L, respectively. Triclopyr and carbaryl symptomology were analyzed for two organisms, C. californica and Cinygma sp. Carbaryl symptomology included knockdown and moribund states with severity and time of appearance being a function of dose. In triclopyr poisoning, death occurred suddenly with little or no symptomology. Time to 50% mortality (LT50) values were consistently higher for C. californica than for Cinygma sp. exposed to both chemicals at similar concentrations." Ruesink,JL and Srivastava,DS 2001 Numerical and per capita responses to species loss: mechanisms maintaining ecosystem function in a community of stream insect detritivores. Oikos 93(2)221-234. Abstract: "We experimentally reduced the diversity of detritivorous stream insects in field enclosures, and measured the effects on an ecosystem function, processing of leaf litter. Two dominant species were removed separately, the stonefly Pteronarcys californica and the caddisfly Lepidostoma unicolor. In principle, processing could be maintained after species loss in two ways: the remaining species could increase their rates of shredding (per capita response), or they could increase in abundance (numerical response). We imposed a numerical response in some treatments by experimentally increasing abundances of either all the remaining species or the other dominant species so that expected metabolic capacity of the assemblage returned to full-diversity levels. Numerical responses were generally effective in maintaining leaf breakdown when either Lepidostoma or Pteronarcys was removed, except that the treatment in which Lepidostoma was replaced by an equivalent metabolic capacity of all remaining species showed less leaf loss than the full-diversity treatment. Per capita responses by other species appeared effective in compensating for the removal of Pteronarcys (although there were other explanations) but were not effective in compensating for the removal of Lepidostoma. In summary, the consequences of reduced biodiversity varied with which species was lost and how the remainder responded. Thus there was no simple relationship between biodiversity and ecosystem functioning. However, when numerical or per capita compensation does occur, stability of function should rise with diversity in such "interactive" assemblages." Sedell,JR; Triska,FJ and Triska,NS 1975 The processing of conifer and hardwood leaves in two coniferous forest streams: I. Weight loss and associated invertebrates: With 4 figures and 2 tables in the text. Internationale Vereinigung für theoretische und angewandte Limnologie: Verhandlungen, 19(3), pp.1617-1627. Weaver,JS 1983 The evolution and classification of Trichoptera, with a revision of the Lepidostomatidae and a North American synopsis of this family. Ph.D. dissertation, Clemson Univ. Clemson, South Carolina 411 pages. Weaver,JS 1988 A synopsis of the North American Lepidostomatidae (Trichoptera). Contributions of the American Entomological Institute 24 (2). Zuellig,RE; Heinold,BD; Kondratieff,BC and Ruiter,DE 2012 Diversity and Distribution of Mayflies (Ephemeroptera), Stoneflies (Plecoptera), and Caddisflies (Trichoptera) of the South Platte River Basin, Colorado, Nebraska, and Wyoming, 1873-2010. U.S. Geological Survey Data Series 606, 257 p. PDF - caution 46MB Quote from page 78: "This species was collected from the foothills to the lower alpine region of the SPRB." The elevation range is 5,600-8,250 feet and the adults emerge from July-November. |