Brachycentridae

Definition

A family of humpless casemaker caddisflies in the order Trichoptera, characterized by larvae that construct portable, cylindrical cases from plant material or sand grains rather than the curved, hump-backed cases typical of related families. Adults are recognized by reduced mouthparts and two pairs of hairy, membranous wings held roof-like over the body at rest. The family occurs across the Holarctic region in lotic freshwater habitats.

Etymology

From Greek brachys (short) + kentron (point, spur), referring to the relatively short spurs on the hind tibiae of the type genus Brachycentrus.

Example

Brachycentrus americanus, the American grannom, is a common Brachycentridae species whose larvae spin distinctive four-sided cases from silk and plant fragments, making them important shredders in temperate stream food webs and useful indicators of good water quality.

Related Terms

• Trichoptera
• caddisfly
• casemaker caddisfly
• Sericostomatidae
• Brachycentrus
• lotic
• shredder
• macroinvertebrate bioindicator

Usage Notes

Distinguished from other Trichoptera families by the straight (non-humped) larval case and reduced adult mandibles. Formerly treated as a subfamily of Sericostomatidae; elevated to family rank by Ulmer in 1903. Larvae are often grouped functionally as shredders or collector-gatherers depending on species. Not to be confused with Brachyceridae, a family of Diptera.