Trichoptera: Limnephilidae of Gunnison County, ColoradoIntroduction to the caddis genus Limnephilus Northern Caddisflies, Summer Flier Sedges Leach in Brewster 1815
Updated 18 Sept 2024
TSN 116069
This genus is common and diverse in the upper Gunnison basin. Limnephilus larvae display a variety of case materials and structures. They can be found in permanent and temporary ponds and marshes.
The caddis on the right was crawling around one of the kettle ponds south of Gothic on the 9th of June 2010. Notice the striped head and a few legs sticking out of the case on the right side. I'm pretty sure it's a Limnephilus sp, probably one of the species below that have been identified from adults in Gunnison County.
Provisional Species List
Limnephilus abbreviatus
Limnephilus castor
Limnephilus coloradensis
Limnephilus externus
Limnephilus hyalinus
Limnephilus indivisus
Limnephilus moestus
Limnephilus picturatus
Limnephilus productus
Limnephilus rohweri
Limnephilus secludens
Limnephilus spinatus
Limnephilus sublunatus
Limnephilus tarsalis
Good Links
On this website:
Introduction to the Limnephilidae
Other Websites:
Photos, Map, Museums, DNA - Barcode of Life Data System
Seriochemicals of the genus Limnephilus https://www.pherobase.com/database/genus/genus-Limnephilus.php
References
Batista,D; Pascoal,C and Cássio,F 2020 The increase in temperature overwhelms silver nanoparticle effects on the aquatic invertebrate Limnephilus sp. Environmental Toxicology and Chemistry, 39(7), pp.1429-1437. PDF
Abstract: "The effects of silver nanoparticles (AgNPs) have been largely explored, but there is still a lack of knowledge on their effects under the predicted changes in temperature as a consequence of climate change. The aim of the present study was to determine how leaf consumption by invertebrate shredders is affected by dietary exposure to AgNPs and AgNO3 and whether changes in temperature alter such effects. Also, responses of antioxidant enzymes were examined. In microcosms, the invertebrate shredder Limnephilus sp. was allowed to feed on alder leaves treated with AgNPs (5, 10, and 25 mg L-1) and AgNO3 (1 mg L-1) at 10, 16, and 23 °C (6 replicates). After 5 d, the animals were transferred to clean water and allowed to feed on untreated leaves. The higher leaf consumption by the shredder was related to temperature increase and to the contamination of leaves with AgNPs and AgNO3. Results from enzymatic activities demonstrated that AgNP contamination via food induce oxidative and neuronal stress in the shredder: the activities of catalase and superoxide dismutase were positively correlated with total Ag accumulated in the animal body. Moreover, glutathione S-transferase activity was strongly associated with higher temperature (23 °C). Overall results indicated that the effects of toxicants on consumption rates and enzymatic activities are modulated by temperature and suggested that increases in temperature changes the AgNP effects on invertebrate shredder performance. "
Berte,SB; Pritchard,G 1983 The structure and hydration dynamics of Trichopteran (Insecta) egg masses. Canadian Journal of Zoology 61, 378-384.
Curtis,J 1835 British Entomology being Illustrations and Descriptions of the Genera of Insects found in Great Britain and Ireland Containing Coloured Figure from Nature of the Most Rare and Beautiful Species, and in Many Instances of the Plants Upon Which They are Found. Richard Taylor, London. vol. IV.
Curtis redescribes the genus Limnephilus in this book.
Denis,C 1977: Larval and imaginal diapause in Limnephilidae. Proceedings of the 2nd International Symposium on Trichoptera, Junk, The Hague. 109-115.
Dodds GS and Hisaw FL. 1925. Ecological studies on aquatic insects. IV. Altitudinal range and zonation of mayflies, stoneflies and caddisflies in the Colorado Rockies. Ecology 6(4)380-390. Abstract PDF
Herrmann,SJ; Ruiter,DE and Unzicker,JD 1986 Distribution and records of Colorado Trichoptera. Southwestern Naturalist 31 4, 421-457.
Holomuzki,JR 1983 Predatory behavior of larval Ambystoma tigrinum nebulosum on Limnephilus (Trichoptera) larvae. Western North American Naturalist 43(3) 475-476. PDF
Johansson,A; Johansson,F 1992 Effects of two different caddisfly case structures on predation by a dragonfly larva. Aquatic Insects 14 2, 73-84.
Leach WE. 1815. Entomology. Brewster's Edinburgh Encyclopaedia. 9:57-102.
Liess,M; Schulz,R 1996 Chronic effects of short-term contamination with the pyethroid insecticide fenvalerate on the caddisfly Limnephilus lunatus. Hydrobiologia 324, 99-106.
Llyod,JT 1921 The biology of the North American caddisfly larvae. Bulletin of the Llyod Library 21.
Neldner,KH Pennak, RW 1955 Seasonal faunal variations in a Colorado alpine pond. American Midland Naturalist 53(2) 419-430. Abstract
Mentions Limnephilus sp. larvae among many other species found in Trail Ridge Pond in Rocky Mountain National Park in Northern Colorado.
Nimmo, A 1971 The adult Rhyacophilidae and Limnephilidae (Trichoptera) of Alberta and eastern British Columbia and their post glacial origin. Quaestiones Entomologicae 73: 3-234.
Has information on western adult Limnephilus.
Nimmo,AP 1991 Seven new species of Limnephilus from Western North America with description of female of L. pallens (Banks) (Trichoptera, Limnephilidae, Limnephilinae, Limnephilini). Proceedings of the Entomological Society of Washington 93 2, 499-508.
Nimmo,AP 1995 New species of Hydropsychidae and Limnephilidae (Insecta, Trichoptera) from the far east of Russia, with description of a new genus of Limnephilidae (Limnephilini). Occasional Papers on Trichoptera Taxonomy 1, 1-15.
Ross,HH 1950 Synoptic notes on some nearctic Limnephilid caddisflies (Trichoptera: Limnephilidae). American Midland Naturalist 43 2, 410-429.
Ross,HH; Merkley,DR 1952 An annotated key to the nearctic males of Limnephilus (Trichoptera, Limnephilidae). American Midland Naturalist 47:435-455.
Keys Limnephilus adults. A newer key for Limnephilus is Ruiter's, (see below) published in 1995.
Rouhova,L; Zurovcova,M; Hradilova,M; Sery,M; Sehadova,H and Zurovec,M 2024 Comprehensive analysis of silk proteins and gland compartments in Limnephilus lunatus, a case-making trichopteran. BMC genomics, 25(1), p.472. HTML
Abstract: "Caddisfly larvae produce silk containing heavy and light fibroins, similar to the silk of Lepidoptera, for the construction of underwater structures. We analyzed the silk of Limnephilus lunatus belonging to the case-forming suborder Integripalpia. We analyzed the transcriptome, mapped the transcripts to a reference genome and identified over 80 proteins using proteomic methods, and checked the specificity of their expression. For comparison, we also analyzed the transcriptome and silk proteome of Limnephilus flavicornis. Our results show that fibroins and adhesives are produced together in the middle and posterior parts of the silk glands, while the anterior part produces enzymes and an unknown protein AT24. The number of silk proteins of L. lunatus far exceeds that of the web-spinning Plectrocnemia conspersa, a previously described species from the suborder Annulipalpia. Our results support the idea of increasing the structural complexity of silk in rigid case builders compared to trap web builders."
Ruiter,DE 1995 The genus Limnephilus Leach (Trichoptera:Limnephilidae) of the new world. Vol. 11. Ohio Biological Survey, College of Biological Sciences, Ohio State University, Columbus, Ohio. 200 pages.
The best key for adult Limnephilus.
Schmitz, EH 1959 Seasonal biotic events in two Colorado alpine tundra ponds. American Midland Naturalist, 61(2) 424-446 Abstract
They found Limnephilus sp. in Washboiler Pond and Dead Hat Pond on the western slope of the Continental Divide in Summit County, Colorado, at an elevation of 3,582 meters (11,750 feet).
Tindall,AR 1963 The skeleton and musculature of the thorax and limbs of the larva of Limnephilus sp. (Trichoptera: Limnophilidae). Transactions of the Royal Entomological Society of London 115: 409-477.
Tindall,AR 1963 Some observations on the physiology of the larval abdominal muscles of Limnephilus (Trichoptera). Journal of Insect Physiology 9: 563-572.
Tindall,AR 1965 The functioning of the leg in the larva of Limnephilus (Trich., Limnephilidae). The Entomologist's Monthly Magazine 101: 34-41.
Usis,JD; Foote,BA 1991 Influence of strip-mining on the mortality of a wetland caddisfly, Limnephilus indivisus (Trichoptera: Limnephilidae). Great Lakes Entomologist 24 3, 133-143.
Vshivkova,T, Morse,JC, and Ruiter,D 2007 Phylogeny of Limnephilidae and composition of the genus Limnephilus (Limnephilidae, Limnephilinae, Limnephilini). Pages 309-319 in Bueno-Soria, Joaquín, Barba-Álvarez, Rafael, Armitage, Brian J. (eds.) Proceedings of the 12th International Symposium on Trichoptera. Columbus, Ohio, The Caddis Press. PDF
Wiggins,GB 1973 A contribution to the biology of caddisflies in temporary pools. Royal Ontario Museum, Life Sciences Contributions 88.
Wissinger,SA; Sparks,GB; Rouse,GL; Brown,WS; Steltzer,HM 1996 Intraguild predation and cannibalism among larvae of detritivorus caddisflies in subalpine wetlands. Ecology 77 8, 2421-2430.
|