Trichoptera of Gunnison County, ColoradoIntroduction to the Caddisfly family Brachycentridae
Log Cabin Casemakers, Humpless case-maker Ulmer, 1903
Updated Twosday 2/22/2022 :-)
TSN 116905
Species List
Amiocentrus aspilus
Brachycentrus americanus
Brachycentrus occidentalis
Micrasema bactro
Good Links
Other Websites:
Photos, Map, Taxon Identifier Numbers - from the Global Biodiversity Information Facility Brachycentridae at GBIF
Photos, Map, Museum specimens, DNA - Barcodinglife.org
family Overview - University of Alberta Entomology Collection family page
Has habitat, identification, life history, conservation and more.
References
Balistrieri,LS; Mebane,CA and Schmidt,TS 2020 Time-dependent accumulation of Cd, Co, Cu, Ni, and Zn in mayfly and caddisfly larvae in experimental streams: Metal sensitivity, uptake pathways, and mixture toxicity. Science of the Total Environment, 732. html
Abstract: "Conceptual and quantitative models were developed to assess time-dependent processes in four sequential experimental stream studies that determined abundances of natural communities of mayfly and caddisfly larvae dosed with single metals (Cd, Co, Cu, Ni, Zn) or multiple metals (Cd + Zn, Co + Cu, Cu + Ni, Cu + Zn, Ni + Zn, Cd + Cu + Zn, Co + Cu + Ni, Cu + Ni + Zn). Metal mixtures contained environmentally relevant metal ratios found in mine drainage. Free metal ion concentrations, accumulation of metals by periphyton, and metal uptake by four families of aquatic insect larvae were either measured (Brachycentridae) or predicted (Ephemerellidae, Heptageniidae, Hydropsychidae) using equilibrium and biodynamic models. Toxicity functions, which included metal accumulations by larvae and metal potencies, were linked to abundances of the insect families. Model results indicated that mayflies accumulated more metal than caddisflies and the relative importance of metal uptake by larvae via dissolved or dietary pathways highly depended on metal uptake rate constants for each insect family and concentrations of metals in food and water. For solution compositions in the experimental streams, accumulations of Cd, Cu, and Zn in larvae occurred primarily through dietary uptake, whereas uptake of dissolved metal was more important for Co and Ni accumulations. Cd, Cu, and Ni were major contributors to toxicity in metal mixtures and for metal ratios examined. Our conceptual approach and quantitative results should aid in designing laboratory experiments and field studies that evaluate metal uptake pathways and metal mixture toxicity to aquatic biota."
Canton,SP and Ward,JV 1981 The aquatic insects, with emphasis on Trichoptera, of a Colorado stream affected by coal strip-mine drainage. Southwestern Naturalist 25 4, 453-460.
Chapin,JW 1978 Systematics of nearctic Micrasema (Trichoptera: Brachycentridae). Ph.D Dissertation, Clemson University.
Abstract: "Larvae of 14 Nearctic spp. of Micrasema are described to include one new species in the vusticwn group, all known eastern species, and four western species. Additional descriptions are given for two larvae which have not been associated with adult stages. Literature, distribution records, and biological notes on habitat, life cycle and case building behavior are given for the above larvae. New larval characters are provided which support the separate generic status of Amiocentrus and Micrasema. Keys are provided for Nearctic larvae and adult males of the latter genus. The status of adult male taxonomy is reviewed and M. etra is considered a nomen dubium. The validity of M. alexanderi is questioned. Characters observed in adult and immature stages, as well as previous literature illustrations are used to construct a most parsimonious cladogram of the family and genus, Lateral phallic parameres are reported in Amiocentrus aspilus and M. dimicki, placing the latter species at the base of the Micrasema lineage. The sprulesi and rusticum groups are shown to be sister lineages. Within the latter group at least three distinct lineages are inferred."
Clements,WH; Carlisle,DN; Lazorchak,JM and Johnson,PC 2000 Heavy metals structure benthic communities in Colorado mountain streams. Ecological Applications 10(2)626-638. Abstract
Flint,OS, Jr. 1984 The genus Brachycentrus in North America, with a proposed phylogeny of the genera of Brachycentridae (Trichoptera). Smithsonian Contributions to Zoology 398:1-58. PDF
Abstract "The North American species of the genus Brachycentrus are revised on the basis of adult males and larvae. The genera Eobrachycentrus, Adicrophleps, Amiocentrus, Micrasema, and Brachycentrus are the recognized world genera of the family. Their relationships are discussed and a phylogeny proposed. In Brachycentrus, five subgenera {Brachycentrus, Oligoplectrum, Sychnothrix, Oligoplectrodes, and Sphinctogaster) are recognized, defined, and their phylogeny proposed. In North America, Brachycentrus sensu strictu contains only B. nigrosoma (Banks) (with new synonyms B. notabulus Milne and B. adelus Ross). Oligoplectrum is lacking in North America, but widespread in Europe. The new subgenus, Sychnothrix, is established for Oligoplectrum echo Ross, its only included species. Oligoplectrodes contains only B. americanus (Banks) in North America. The remaining ten recognized species are placed in Sphinctogaster (with new synonym Brachycentriella Iwata): B. appalachia new species, B. chelatus Ross, B. etowahensis Wallace, B. fuliginosus Walker, B. incanus Hagen, B. lateralis (Say), B. numerosus (Say), B. occidentalis Banks, B. solomoni new species, and B. spinae Ross. The North American subgenera and species (males and larvae) are keyed, described and illustrated with distribution maps provided for the species. "
Gallepp,GW 1977 Responses of caddisfly larvae (Brachycentrus spp.) to temperature, food availability and current velocity. American Midland Naturalist 98(1)59-84. Abstract
Hauer,FR and Stanford,JA 1986 Ecology and co-existence of two species of Brachycentrus (Trichoptera) in a Rocky Mountain River. Canadian Journal of Zoology 64 (7) 1469-1474.
Ross,HH 1944 The Caddis Flies, or Trichoptera, of Illinois. Natural History Survey of Illinois, Los Angeles, CA. 326 pages. PDF
Short,RA; Canton,SP and Ward,JV 1980 Detrital processing and associated macroinvertebrates in a Colorado mountain stream. Ecology, 61(4), 727-732. PDF
Brachycentrus sp nymphs were found in all 4 of the plant species used to make leaf packs; alder, willow, aspen and pine.
Spehar,RL; Anderson,RL and Fiandt,JT 1978 Toxicity and bioaccumulation of cadmium and lead in aquatic invertebrates. Environmental Pollution 15, 195-208.
Ulmer,G 1903 Über die metamorphose der Trichopteren. Abhandlungen des Naturwissenschaftlichen Vereins in Hamburg 18: 1-154.
Voelz,NJ and Ward,JV 1996b Microdistributions of filter-feeding caddisflies (Insecta: Trichoptera) in a regulated Rocky Mountain river. Canadian Journal of Zoology 74, 654-666.
Wilson,MJ; McTammany,ME and Bohr,HR 2019 Manganese oxides as localized drivers of benthic invertebrate density and community structure. Hydrobiologia, 838, pp.85-98. PDF
Abstract: "Oxidized manganese (Mn) forms tightly bound, dark precipitates on exposed rock surfaces in rivers, which could impact benthic communities. We combined a field survey with two experiments to identify patterns in benthic invertebrate community structure and potential mechanisms creating these patterns on substrates coated with Mn oxides and on 'uncoated' substrates in a large gravel-bed river. Uncoated substrate had roughly seven times higher densities of benthic macroinvertebrates, particularly fixed retreat filter feeders such as Brachycentrus, Rheotanytarsus, and Hydropsyche, while clinger taxa had similar densities between coated and uncoated substrates. In a substrate preference experiment conducted in laboratory microcosms, nymphs of a swimming mayfly (Isonychia bicolor) were more likely to avoid Mn-coated than uncoated substrate, while nymphs of a clinger mayfly family (Heptageniidae) showed no significant substrate preference or avoidance. In a field colonization experiment, invertebrate communities established on Mn-coated substrate had significantly higher variability in taxonomic composition but similar densities to communities on uncoated rocks. Combined, these results demonstrate a large difference in biological communities and describe patterns that occur during community assembly on Mn-coated substrate. While established communities responded negatively to Mn oxides, our results indicated coated substrate might also create community heterogeneity within large river riffle habitats."
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