Psychomyiidae

Definition

A family of tube-making caddisflies (order Trichoptera) whose larvae construct long silken galleries rather than portable cases. Adults are distinguished from the similar family Polycentropodidae by wing venation characters including a short thyridial cell, absence of forewing fork I, and absence of hindwing forks I and IV, plus a spur formula of 2-4-4 and male genitalia with elongate preanal appendages and reduced tergum IX. Larvae are recognized by separated submental sclerites, broad foretrochantin, and pupal mandibles with whip-like apices.

Etymology

From Greek psychos (cool, cold) and myia (fly), with the family suffix -idae; named by Francis Walker in 1852.

Example

Larvae of the northern tube-maker caddisfly Psychomyia flavida spin silk galleries attached to rocks in cool, flowing streams, filtering organic particles rather than carrying a portable case like their relatives in the case-making families.

Related Terms

• Trichoptera
• Polycentropodidae
• tube-making caddisfly
• silken gallery
• spur formula
• thyridial cell
• submental sclerite
• foretrochantin

Usage Notes

Often confused with Polycentropodidae; definitive separation requires examination of wing venation and genitalic characters. The family is primarily Holarctic and Oriental in distribution. The name is sometimes misspelled 'Psychomyidae' in older literature.