Trichoptera: Limnephilidae of Gunnison County, ColoradoIntroduction to the caddis fly Hesperophylax
Silver Striped Sedges Banks, 1916
Updated 22 February 2026
TSN 116001
Gunnison Basin Species List
Hesperophylax consimilis
Hesperophylax occidentalis
Possibly present: Hesperophylax designatus
Links
On this website:
Limnephilidae Introduction
Other Websites:
Photos, Map, Taxon Identifier Numbers - from the Global Biodiversity Information Facility Hesperophylax at GBIF
Photos, Map, Museums, DNA - Barcode of Life Data System
Photos and more - Bugguide.net
Distinuguishing Hesperophylax - from Aquatic Insects of North Dakota
References
Al Mousa,MDA; Nachappa,P; Ruiter,DE; Givens,DR and Fairchild,MP 2022 Caddisflies (Insecta: Trichoptera) of montane and alpine lakes of northern Colorado (USA). Western North American Naturalist, 82(3), pp.563-576. PDF
Quote from page 571: "Four species of the Nearctic genus Hesperophylax Banks, 1916, were recorded in this study (Table 2, Supplementary Material 1). Species of this genus usually inhabit lotic habitats but can occur in cold springs and lakes where they inhabit shallow water (Parker and Wiggins 1985, Wissinger et al. 2003, Wiggins 2014). The transcontinental H. occidentalis (Banks, 1908) and H. designatus were common and frequently encountered. Hesperophylax magnus Banks, 1918, is known from western North America and was recorded only from a few locations between 1989 and 1996. Hesperophylax consimilis, an endemic from the Rocky Mountain region of western North America, was recorded only from a few locations in Grand, Larimer, and Routt counties between 1979 and 1994."
Banks,N 1916 A classification of our limnephilid caddice flies. Canadian Entomologist 48: 117-122.
The rest of the key is not useful these days. Arctaecia and Astenophylax are invalid names now, however the details for Hesperophylax describe the genus for the first time.
Frandsen,PB; Bursell,MG; Taylor,AM; Wilson,SB; Steeneck,A and Stewart,RJ 2019 Exploring the underwater silken architectures of caddisworms: comparative silkomics across two caddisfly suborders. Philosophical Transactions of the Royal Society B, 374(1784), p.20190206. html
Abstract: "Caddisfly (Trichoptera) larvae assemble a variety of underwater structures using bioadhesive silk. The order is divided into two primary sub-orders distinguished by how the larvae deploy their silk. Foraging Integripalpia larvae construct portable tube cases. Annulipalpia larvae construct stationary retreats, some with suspended nets to capture food. To identify silk molecular adaptations that may have contributed to caddisfly diversification, we report initial characterization of silk from a net-spinner genus, Parapsyche, for comparison with the silk of a tube case-maker genus, Hesperophylax. Overall, general features of silk structure and processing are conserved across the sub-orders despite approximately 200 Ma of divergence: the H-fibroin proteins comprise repeating phosphoserine-rich motifs, naturally spun silk fibres contain approximately 1 : 1 molar ratios of divalent metal ions to phosphate, silk fibre precursors are stored as complex fluids of at least two types of complexes, and silk gland proteins contain only traces of divalent metal ions, suggesting metal ions that solidify the fibres are absorbed from the aqueous environment after silk extrusion. However, the number and arrangement of the repeating phosphoserine blocks differ between genera, suggesting molecular adaptation of H-fibroin through duplication and shuffling of conserved structural modules may correspond with the radiation of caddisflies into diverse environments."
Nelson,SM 1994 Observed field tolerance of caddisfly larvae (Hesperophylax sp.) to high metal concentrations and low pH.
Abstract: "Tolerance of Hesperophylax sp. to a low pH mine tailings seep which contained high concentrations of heavy metals was documented in Lake County, Colorado."
Parker, CR and Wiggins,GB 1985 The nearctic caddisfly genus Hesperophylax (Trichoptera: Limnephilidae). Canadian Journal of Zoology 61(10)2443-2472.
Abstract: " Seven species of Hesperophylax are recognized: alaskensis (Banks), consimilis (Banks), designatus (Walker), magnus Banks, minutus Ling, occidentalis (Banks), and mexico n.sp. Hesperophylax alaskensis is reestablished as a valid species distinct from occidentalis. Hesperophylax incisus Banks is placed as a junior subjective synonym of designatus. Hesperophylax oreades Saether is placed as a junior subjective synonym of Psychoronia costalis (Banks). Keys are provided for identification of males, females, and larvae. A hypothesis of phylogeny is proposed in which consimilis is the sister group of all other Hesperophylax; magnus and mexico are sister species and together are the closest relatives of occidentalis, designatus, and alaskensis; designatus and alaskensis are sister species. An interpretation of biogeography is offered, suggesting how geological events affected the origin and distribution of Hesperophylax species. Data on food, life cycle, habitat, and distribution are given. All species appear to be univoltine with extended flight periods. Larvae are opportunistic omnivores, but magnus is more predaceous than the other species. Differences in mandibular morphology between consimilis and the other species are not reflected in the food habits of the larvae. Among Trichoptera the species of Hesperophylax are little differentiated morphologically and most species vary within unusually broad limits; most species occur in a wider range of habitat types than do other Trichoptera. Perhaps those factors represent a genetic plasticity selected for generalized adaptability rather than the habitat specialization of other Trichoptera."
Swegman,BG and Ferrington,LC 1980 New records of western Trichoptera with notes on their biology. Great Basin Naturalist 40(3) 287-291. PDF
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