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Tricholeiochiton fagesii
Tricholeiochiton fagesii
micro caddisfly larva

tricholeiochiton larva
tricholeiochiton larva

This caddis-fly larva is rather rare in Europe, but abundant in many waters in the Netherlands. At first I thought this to be an Oxyethyra species, but those larvae have more flask shaped cocoons. In the year that I found it, there wasn't much literature to be found, but I found a characteristic Russian sketch on the web, so I boldly wrote down this name. Presently, you can find much more information and it proved to be the right name. Strong indications: the short fore legs and the extremely elongated mid and hind legs.

Watch him strolling like a micro T-rex on the picture on the right. This is a genus of the somewhat special family of microcaddisflies or 'purse-case caddisflies', the Hydroptilidae, within the Trichopterae order (caddisflies). The family is distinctive in a number of things.

They are called microcaddisflies because of their small size (a few millimetres). The cocoons are flat like a soft spectacle case (hence 'purse-case') and are entirely made of their own silk, without other material (there are some species however, that cement very fine sand or small pieces of moss to it, and other that mix algae in it).

In contrast with normal caddis-fly larva, they only start building their cocoons after a few moults, and not before that they get their peculiar vertical flat shape. They feed on filament algae. Some species of micro-caddis-flies spin silk threads between water plants, on which they walk with their clawlike front legs with surprising elegance.


 


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COPYRIGHT:
All pictures on this site were made by G.H. Visser (Aadorp, Netherlands), unless stated otherwise. All rights remain with him. These pictures may not be used for purposes any other than private viewing or printing. Should you need them for purposes which include third parties, you must ask the athour permission by e-mail. People, who want to use this pictures for exhibitions or publications or educative material are encouraged to do so after approval as mentioned and giving the normal credits.
© G.H. Visser 04-03-2005
rev. 08-04-2022



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