Macronematinae

Ulmer, 1905

net-spinning caddisflies

Genus Guides

2

Macronematinae is a of net-spinning caddisflies (Trichoptera: Hydropsychidae) established by Ulmer in 1905. Larvae construct silk webs to capture prey drifting in flowing water. The subfamily includes such as Macronema, Macrostemum, Leptonema, Leptopsyche, and the Neotropical Centromacronema. Members occupy diverse freshwater across multiple continents.

Macronematinae by (c) Annika Lindqvist, some rights reserved (CC BY), uploaded by Annika Lindqvist. Used under a CC-BY license.Macronematinae by (c) Sam Kieschnick, some rights reserved (CC BY), uploaded by Sam Kieschnick. Used under a CC-BY license.Macronematinae by (c) Annika Lindqvist, some rights reserved (CC BY), uploaded by Annika Lindqvist. Used under a CC-BY license.

Pronunciation

How to pronounce Macronematinae: /ˈmakroʊnɪˌmætɪni/

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Identification

Larvae possess prosternal plates with distinctive stridulatory ridge patterns; specific diagnostic characters vary by . distinguished from other Hydropsychidae by genitalic and wing venation patterns.

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Habitat

Flowing waterways with current sufficient to transport drifting prey; larvae construct capture webs in lotic environments. Specific associations vary: some occur below spillways with high current velocity during rainy seasons, others in transition zones between savannah and lowland forest, and tropical rainforest streams.

Distribution

Widespread across multiple biogeographic regions. recorded from West Africa (Sudan, Ghana, Ivory Coast, Nigeria), Neotropics (Mexico to southern Brazil including Bahia and Acre states), and other regions. Centromacronema to Neotropics.

Seasonality

Mature larvae collected in December in at least some West African ; seasonal patterns likely vary by region and .

Life Cycle

Larval stage is the primary feeding and growth phase; larvae construct and occupy capture webs. and occur, though specific details of developmental timing and voltinism are not established for the as a whole.

Behavior

Larvae are that construct silk webs across flowing water to intercept drifting prey. Some demonstrate ecological plasticity, occurring across varying vegetation zones from savannah-forest transitions to tropical rainforest.

Ecological Role

Larvae function as in lotic , capturing drifting and organic matter via silk webs. Their filtering activity may influence particle transport in streams.

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