Desmona

Denning, 1954

Species Guides

1

Desmona is a of northern caddisflies in the Limnephilidae, established by Denning in 1954. The genus contains at least two described : Desmona bethula and Desmona mono. One species, D. bethula, exhibits an unusual terrestrial feeding where larvae leave the water to feed on semiaquatic plants.

Desmona bethula and Psychoglypha (10.3897-zookeys.845.31155) Figure 11 by Ruiter DE, Mutch RA (2019) Montiphylax, (Trichoptera, Limnephilidae), a new genus to accommodate the western North American species: Stenophylax antennatus Banks, 1900, Philocasca thor Nimmo, 1971, and Philocasca alba Nimmo, 1977. ZooKeys 845: 153-180. https://doi.org/10.3897/zookeys.845.31155. Used under a CC BY 4.0 license.

Pronunciation

How to pronounce Desmona: /dɛsˈmoʊnə/

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Images

Habitat

Slow, unshaded stretches of small spring streams. Larvae of at least one (Desmona bethula) occupy stream but temporarily migrate to terrestrial environments for feeding.

Distribution

Northern regions (specifically, Desmona bethula has been documented in the Sierra Nevada, California, U.S.A.).

Seasonality

Desmona bethula is with autumn . Terrestrial feeding occurs during early summer nights.

Diet

Desmona bethula larvae have been observed feeding on several of semiaquatic plants during terrestrial foraging excursions.

Life Cycle

(one per year). Includes a terrestrial feeding during the fifth instar, where larvae leave the water at night, feed on land, and return before air temperatures approach freezing.

Behavior

terrestrial feeding : larvae exit the water on early summer nights, remain out until dawn on warm still nights, and return to water when temperatures drop. Migration timing is determined by light intensity, vapor pressure deficit, and temperature. Mark-recapture studies indicate 14–16% of the migrates on a given night during the primary feeding period.

Ecological Role

May represent an evolutionary link between secondarily terrestrial Limnephilidae larvae and the majority of aquatic caddisfly larvae.

More Details

Species in genus

Desmona bethula Denning, 1954 (amphibious caddisfly) and Desmona mono (Denning, 1970)

Population density

estimates for Desmona bethula have been recorded at 1220–1662 individuals per square meter.

Sources and further reading