Troutnut Forum > Specimen Discussion > Hydropsychid?
The Specimen
Cheumatopsyche (Little Sister Sedges) Caddisfly Pupa
View 8 PicturesI'm just guessing this is B. appalachia, since I collected it at a time when that species was hatching heavily on this river system. Feel free to jump in and correct me if it's wrong!
View 8 PicturesI'm just guessing this is B. appalachia, since I collected it at a time when that species was hatching heavily on this river system. Feel free to jump in and correct me if it's wrong!Region: Catskills
Collected May 13, 2007
Added May 18, 2007
The Discussion
| GONZO | May 19th, 2007, 1:47 pm | |
| "Bear Swamp," PA Posts: 876 | This actually looks more like a hydropsychid to me, probably one of the lighter-winged species of Cheumatopsyche. I hope we can get one of the experts to take a look. | |
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| Earlfishman | May 19th, 2007, 2:29 pm | |
| Posts: 17 | I agree with Gonzo that it is a Hydropsychid, not a Brachycentrid based on its gills and the shape of the end of its body with those long hairs. Based on the pictures and the only key I have access to, I would guess that it is Hydropsyche sp. rather than Cheumatopsyche sp. because the rear hook plates on the third abdominal segment seem more linear than oval. I can't see quite well enough to be 100% sure though. Earl | |
| GONZO | May 19th, 2007, 2:51 pm | |
| "Bear Swamp," PA Posts: 876 | Thanks, Earl. I was basing the Cheumatopsyche guess on Lito's earlier comment (on another specimen) that the hooks on the end of the abdomen are longer distally in that genus. If it is Hydropsyche, it might be the pupa of the adult (see "Can I get a better ID on this?") captured nearby two days later, but that particular character seems reversed on that specimen. (And I think that specimen probably is Hydropsyche or Ceratopsyche.) What do you think? | |
| Earlfishman | May 19th, 2007, 3:38 pm | |
| Posts: 17 | Gonzo, My determination of Hydropsyche sp. instead of Cheumatopsyche sp. is at least a little bit of a guess as well. I can never quite convince myself without being able to look at the actual bug instead of pictures, and even then I am frequently content to leave caddis pupae at family. I went looking for a key after Lito took that other pupae to genus, and although I found what seems to be a good one, at this point I'm still not completely sure of anything beyond family. As far as the adult that you asked about goes, I must confess that my knowledge of adult taxonomy is pretty limited and relies heavily on circumstantial associations. Usually when looking at adults I am far from a microscope and am content to take off my bugging hat, put on a fishing hat, call it a size 14, dark-bodied, dark-winged elk-hair or Hemingway caddis, and just go fishing. I would expect that many of the features used to distinguish pupae don't carry over to adults and that many probably do, but I wouldn't hazard a guess as to which do and don't. Hopefully someone else knows a lot more about adults than I do and can enlighten both of us. I know I'd like to learn something. Earl | |
| GONZO | May 19th, 2007, 3:49 pm | |
| "Bear Swamp," PA Posts: 876 | I know I'd like to learn something. Thanks, Earl. Me too! | |
| Litobrancha | May 20th, 2007, 1:50 am | |
| Knoxville TN Posts: 49 | maxillary palps look hydropychid-ish, as well as anal processes. a good dorsal and possibly lateral view would help that a bit, but i agree with others it looks like cheumatopsyche. | |
| Jason Robinson Research Specialist III UT Knoxville | ||
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