| Ecnomidae | |
|---|---|
| Male Darternomina | |
| Scientific classification | |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Arthropoda |
| Class: | Insecta |
| Order: | Trichoptera |
| Suborder: | Annulipalpia |
| Superfamily: | Hydropsychoidea |
| Family: | Ecnomidae Ulmer, 1903 |
| Genera | |
|
|
Ecnomidae is a family of caddisflies comprising 9 genera with a total of 375 species.
Contents |
Ecinomidae has a Gondwanan distribution, except one genus which also are present in Oriental and Palearctic regions.
The adult is mostly small to medium sized caddisfly with a wing span of 6–18 millimetres (0.24–0.71 in), dull grayish-brown mottled wings. Ocelli are absent. Maxillary palp is 5-segmented. Apical segment is flexible. Antennae are at most as long as the forewing. Forewing R1 usually forked at apex; discoidal and median cells present and closed. Female abdomen terminates either flat out or with elongated ovipositor.
The larva is small to medium-sized 5–10 millimetres (0.20–0.39 in) long. Head and all thoracic nota is sclerotised. The prolegs on the abdomen are highly formed with large anal claws terminal.
The Ecnomidae larval lifestage like most trichoptera larvae is spent completely in freshwater. They are predatory but some genera feed also on algae an detritus. They construct fixed tubes, retreats of silk on logs or rocks. Permanent ponds and lakes or slower flowing waters is suitable habitat for Ecnomidae larvae.
The Ecnomidae taxonomy has been problematic, Ecnomidae was first described (Ulmer 1903) as a subfamily of Hydropsychidae later as a subfamily within Psychomiidae. Ecnomidae is now accepted as a monophyletic genera beside its sister-group Polycentropodidae. Ecnomidae contains at least 9 genera with the most diversity found in the genera of Ecnomus. There is until today a total of 375 described Ecnomidae species. In recent years plenty of new species has been discovered, mainly from the Oceania region. It is also clear that other phylogenetically distinct genus exists which have not been scientifically described yet.
regions. Psychomyiellodes, is a monophyletic group within Ecnomus, with 8 species endemic to the Afrotropical region.
All Ecnomidae genera are restricted to the Southern Hemisphere except the genus Ecnomus, which is widely distributed. This means that the group of Ecnomidae caddisflies may have a Gondwana origin.