Parapsyche almota (Trichoptera: Hydropsychidae) of Gunnison County, Colorado

Trichoptera: Hydropsychidae of Gunnison County, Colorado

Parapsyche almota

Ross 1938

Updated 2 August 2011
TSN 115563

Parapsyche larvae from the Upper East river in August of 2011.

Good Links

On this website:
Parapsyche elsis

Locations Collected

Lives in small, cold streams.

References

Alstad,DN 1980 Comparative biology of the common Utah Hydropsychidae (Trichoptera). American Midland Naturalist 103, 167-174.

Deutsch,WG 1985 Swimming modifications of adult female Hydropsychidae compared with other Trichoptera Freshwater Invertebrate Biology 4(1) 35-40.
Abstract: "Mesothoracic legs of 10 of 12 species of adult female Hydropsychidae (not Parapsyche almota or P. elsis) are modified for swimming; at least four of the ten species are known to swim to stream substrates to oviposit. Modified tibiae and tarsi of females differed from those of males in being widened, concave, and often, with a fringe of longer hair on the posterior edge. Modified mesothoracic legs were also found on some adult female Glossosomatidae, Polycentropodidae, and Psychomyiidae. Differences in swimming modifications found among hydropsychids and glossosomatids suggest a diversity of ovipositing behavior within these families. "

Dudgeon,D and Richardson,JS 1988 Dietary variations of predaceous caddisfly larvae (Trichoptera: Rhyacophilidae, Polycentropodidae and Arctopsychidae) from British Columbian streams. Hydrobiologia 160 (1)33-43.
Abstract: " The diets of larval Rhyacophilidae (Rhyacophila inculta), Polycentropodidae (Polycentropus variegatus) and Arctopsychidae (Parapsyche almota and P. elsis) from five streams in the University of British Columbia Research Forest, British Columbia (Canada), are recorded and related to feeding mode/constructional activities and prey representation in the habitat. Particular attention was paid to the extent of dietary overlap and the degree of intraspecific dietary variations between streams. An overall similarity of the diets of the study species was notable and all commonly consumed chironomid (Diptera) larvae, Simulium (Diptera) and Zapada (Plecoptera), although there was interspecific variation in the relative importance of these items. Polycentropus variegatus and Parapsyche spp. ate Baetis and Paraleptophlebia, the latter predators also consuming Hydrachnellae (Acarina). Other prey were generally of minor importance and consequently interspecific dietary overlaps were high.
Differences in the range of prey consumed by predaceous Trichoptera were apparent. Free-foraging R. inculta which selectively consumed sedentary simuliid larvae had the narrowest niche breadth. Parapsyche spp. and Polycentropus variegatus foreguts generally contained an over-representation of chironomid larvae compared to their proportionate occurrence in the benthos, and these caddisflies exhibited high niche overlap. The relative importance of chironomids as food for Parapsyche spp. and Polycentropus variegatus is attributed to prey behaviour, i.e. drift, and poorly developed escape responses when they are caught on the predator's net. "

Givens,DR and Smith,SD 1980 A synopsis of western Arctopsychinae (Trichoptera: Hydropsychidae). Melanderia 35:1-24.

Here is the abdomen of a Parapsyche almota larvae. Notice the small tufts of setae on the sides of the abdonminal segments. This is visible without a microscope on larger animals.

Herrmann,SJ; Ruiter,DE; Unzicker,JD 1986 Distribution and records of Colorado Trichoptera. Southwestern Naturalist 31 4, 421-457.
They note the habitat for this species is streams and rivers, the altitudinal range is 1981 to 2804m and adult collection dates are 18 to 26 July. Quote from page 430: "In Montana Roemhild (1982) reported this species from cold streams and rivers of the alpine and intermountain zone."

Milne, L. J., and M. J. Milne. 1938. The Arctopsychidae of continental America north of Mexico (Trichoptera). Bulletin of the Brooklin Entomological Society 33:97-110.

Roemhild, G. 1982 The Trichoptera of Montana with distributional and ecological notes. Northwest Science 56: 8-13.

Ross, HH 1938 Descriptions of Nearctic Caddisflies. Bulletin of the Illinois Natural History Survey 21:101-183.
Original description of P. almota.

Smith,SD 1968 The Arctopsychinae of Idaho. Pan-Pacific Entomologist 44, 102-112.
Has a key that includes this species.

Brown, Wendy S. 2005 Trichoptera (Caddisflies) of Gunnison County, Colorado, USA
www.gunnisoninsects.org