Geographic Range
Limnephilus secludens
is found in the Holarctic region of North America (Vshivkova, 2006). The species
is most abundant around stagnant or slow-moving freshwater wetlands (Wissinger, Brown,
and Jannot, 2003).
- Other Geographic Terms
- holarctic
Habitat
Limnephilus secludens
is found in aquatic habitats during larval and pupal stages, and then lives in terrestrial
vegetation during the adult stage (Wissinger, Brown, and Jannot, 2003). Members of
this species can occupy a variety of freshwater habitats, but they thrive in stagnant
or slow-moving (< 5 cm/s) water systems (Wissinger, Brown, Jannot, 2003). Such habitats
include autumnal or permanent ponds, wetlands, marshes, and streams (Vshivkova, 2006).
- Habitat Regions
- temperate
- terrestrial
- freshwater
- Terrestrial Biomes
- forest
- Aquatic Biomes
- lakes and ponds
- rivers and streams
- temporary pools
- brackish water
Physical Description
There is little information available on the physical appearance of
L. secludens
specifically, but some descriptions have been written regarding the genus
Limnephilus
that may apply to the species. Like most insects, the body is made up of three segments:
the head, thorax, and abdomen. The head contains eyes, ocelli, antennae, and mouthparts
(Vshivkova, 2006). Species of
Limnephilus
are often tan in color, though some species can be dark gray. Additionally, species
of this genus are typically 15 to 20 mm in length (Houghton, 2012). A close relative
to
L. secludens
(
L. externus
) was used as reference for the average mass of the species, which is 6.08 to 14.4
mg for females and 5.8 to 7.6 mg for males (Wissinger, Brown, and Jannot, 2003). The
same close relative was also used to obtain the average wingspan, which is 16.2 to
18.0 mm. Sexual dimorphism is present in this species, with females generally being
larger than males. Individuals of
L. secludens
also emerge from their eggs as larvae, develop into pupae, and finally metamorphose
into adults (Wissinger, Brown, and Jannot, 2003).
- Other Physical Features
- ectothermic
- bilateral symmetry
- Sexual Dimorphism
- female larger
Development
Individuals of
L. secludens
emerge as larvae from their eggs in late autumn. However, they remain in a gelatinous
matrix which was deposited with the eggs through winter and spring, and resume further
development in the summer (Wissinger, Brown, and Jannot, 2003). Larvae of
L. secludens
go through 4 or 5 larval stages before they pupate in late summer. They are in the
pupal stage for only a brief period before they undergo metamorphosis, become adults
and emerge from the water in early autumn. Adults of
L. secludens
mate soon after emergence, and the females move into the surrounding terrestrial
vegetation until later in the season. During this time, females undergo ovarian diapause,
in which their fertilized eggs don't develop and are not deposited. Finally, in mid-
to late autumn, females deposit their eggs in gelatinous egg masses under rocks and
logs near the water's edge (Wissinger, Brown, and Jannot, 2003).
- Development - Life Cycle
- metamorphosis
- diapause
Reproduction
The mating systems of L. secludens appears to be unknown at this time.
Breeding occurs between August and September; soon after
L. secludens
adults have emerged from the water following metamorphosis (Wissinger, Brown, and
Jannot, 2003). After mating, the females undergo ovarian diapause and do not deposit
their eggs immediately. Instead, the females disperse into the nearby terrestrial
vegetation until October. The females then deposit an average of 90 eggs in a gelatinous
egg mass under rocks or logs (Wissinger, Brown, and Jannot, 2003). Adults of
L. secludens
are assumed to die soon after egg deposition, since the lifespan of an adult is only
a few weeks (Houghton, 2012).
- Key Reproductive Features
- semelparous
- sexual
- oviparous
Adults of
L. secludens
do not provide parental care to their offspring (Wissinger, Brown, and Jannot, 2003).
- Parental Investment
- no parental involvement
Lifespan/Longevity
From the time they are deposited as eggs to when they die as adults,
L. secludens
individuals typically have a lifespan of about 1 year (Wissinger, Brown, and Jannot,
2003). Adults of
L. secludens
only live for a few weeks, from emergence to egg deposition (Houghton, 2012). Predation
and freezing are the greatest threats to
L. secludens
larvae (Wissinger, Brown, and Jannot, 2003). There is no information available on
the lifespan of
L. secludens
in captivity.
Behavior
This species is solitary, with its individuals remaining in the same general area
for the entirety of its life. Adults are nocturnal, and are most active in the evenings
(Houghton, 2012). Interestingly,
L. secludens
is among the case-building caddisfly species. During development, larvae are able
to make cases composed of silk and a combination of organic and mineral material for
protection. Larvae also make a case when preparing to pupate (Houghton, 2012). Additionally,
L. secludens
has been known to be territorial and even cannibalistic during its larval stages
when water levels get too low (Bird et al., 2019).
- Key Behaviors
- flies
- nocturnal
- motile
- sedentary
- solitary
- territorial
Home Range
Individuals of
L. secludens
generally do not disperse farther than 100 m from their natal stream or pond (Houghton,
2012). There is no information regarding whether individuals of
L. secludens
hold territories.
Communication and Perception
There is little information available regarding how individuals of
L. secludens
communicate with each other. There is some information about aggressive behaviors,
which includes tactile communication such as foreleg wrestling and biting (Bird et
al., 2019). The species most likely perceives the environment through visual and tactile
cues, since individuals have eyes and antennae (Vshivkova, 2006).
Food Habits
Adults of
L. secludens
actually do not eat (Vshivkova, 2006). As larvae, however, they are known to be herbivores
and detritivores. Larvae of
L. secludens
generally eat aquatic vegetation and detritus (Houghton, 2012), but have been known
to prey upon the larvae of other species occupying the same area, or even cannibalize
those of its own species when water levels are too low. Some species that
L. secludens
has been known to prey upon include
Asynarchus nigriculus
,
L. externus
, and
L. picturatus
(Bird et al., 2019).
- Primary Diet
- carnivore
- herbivore
- detritivore
- Animal Foods
- insects
- Plant Foods
- leaves
- Other Foods
- detritus
Predation
The larvae of
L. secludens
are able to make protective cases by combining silk and organic or mineral materials
as an anti-predator adaptation. There is little information about the predators of
this species, but it has been found that the larvae of
L. secludens
and other caddisfly species sometimes prey upon
L. secludens
larvae (Bird et al., 2019). Other predators of this species include insectivorous
fish and animals (Houghton, 2012).
Ecosystem Roles
This species is important to aquatic environments as secondary producers. Individuals of L. secludens breaks down plant matter and also acts as a food source for insectivorous fish and other animals (Houghton, 2012). There is no information regarding parasitism in this species.
- Ecosystem Impact
- biodegradation
Economic Importance for Humans: Positive
Relatively little is known about the economic importance of
L. secludens
. However, with further research, the species holds high potential value as a water
quality biomonitoring species due to its susceptibility to pollution and habitat destruction
(Houghton, 2012).
- Positive Impacts
- research and education
Economic Importance for Humans: Negative
There are no known negative effects of this species on humans.
Conservation Status
Little is known about the conservation status of L. secludens . The IUCN Red List ranked a close relative ( L. atlanticus ) as "near threatened." The State of Michigan List gave another close relative ( L. pallens ) a state status of "special concern," which means the species is either rare or of uncertain abundance. For the U.S. status, however, the species is not listed.
Additional Links
Contributors
Danielle Chaffee (author), Minnesota State University Mankato, Robert Sorensen (editor), Minnesota State University, Mankato, Tanya Dewey (editor), University of Michigan-Ann Arbor.
- Nearctic
-
living in the Nearctic biogeographic province, the northern part of the New World. This includes Greenland, the Canadian Arctic islands, and all of the North American as far south as the highlands of central Mexico.
- native range
-
the area in which the animal is naturally found, the region in which it is endemic.
- holarctic
-
a distribution that more or less circles the Arctic, so occurring in both the Nearctic and Palearctic biogeographic regions.
Found in northern North America and northern Europe or Asia.
- temperate
-
that region of the Earth between 23.5 degrees North and 60 degrees North (between the Tropic of Cancer and the Arctic Circle) and between 23.5 degrees South and 60 degrees South (between the Tropic of Capricorn and the Antarctic Circle).
- terrestrial
-
Living on the ground.
- freshwater
-
mainly lives in water that is not salty.
- forest
-
forest biomes are dominated by trees, otherwise forest biomes can vary widely in amount of precipitation and seasonality.
- brackish water
-
areas with salty water, usually in coastal marshes and estuaries.
- marsh
-
marshes are wetland areas often dominated by grasses and reeds.
- swamp
-
a wetland area that may be permanently or intermittently covered in water, often dominated by woody vegetation.
- metamorphosis
-
A large change in the shape or structure of an animal that happens as the animal grows. In insects, "incomplete metamorphosis" is when young animals are similar to adults and change gradually into the adult form, and "complete metamorphosis" is when there is a profound change between larval and adult forms. Butterflies have complete metamorphosis, grasshoppers have incomplete metamorphosis.
- diapause
-
a period of time when growth or development is suspended in insects and other invertebrates, it can usually only be ended the appropriate environmental stimulus.
- semelparous
-
offspring are all produced in a single group (litter, clutch, etc.), after which the parent usually dies. Semelparous organisms often only live through a single season/year (or other periodic change in conditions) but may live for many seasons. In both cases reproduction occurs as a single investment of energy in offspring, with no future chance for investment in reproduction.
- sexual
-
reproduction that includes combining the genetic contribution of two individuals, a male and a female
- oviparous
-
reproduction in which eggs are released by the female; development of offspring occurs outside the mother's body.
- nocturnal
-
active during the night
- motile
-
having the capacity to move from one place to another.
- sedentary
-
remains in the same area
- solitary
-
lives alone
- territorial
-
defends an area within the home range, occupied by a single animals or group of animals of the same species and held through overt defense, display, or advertisement
- visual
-
uses sight to communicate
- tactile
-
uses touch to communicate
- visual
-
uses sight to communicate
- tactile
-
uses touch to communicate
- detritus
-
particles of organic material from dead and decomposing organisms. Detritus is the result of the activity of decomposers (organisms that decompose organic material).
- biodegradation
-
helps break down and decompose dead plants and/or animals
- carnivore
-
an animal that mainly eats meat
- insectivore
-
An animal that eats mainly insects or spiders.
- herbivore
-
An animal that eats mainly plants or parts of plants.
- folivore
-
an animal that mainly eats leaves.
- detritivore
-
an animal that mainly eats decomposed plants and/or animals
- ectothermic
-
animals which must use heat acquired from the environment and behavioral adaptations to regulate body temperature
- bilateral symmetry
-
having body symmetry such that the animal can be divided in one plane into two mirror-image halves. Animals with bilateral symmetry have dorsal and ventral sides, as well as anterior and posterior ends. Synapomorphy of the Bilateria.
References
Bird, M., M. Mlambo, R. Wasserman, T. Dalu, A. Holland, J. Day, M. Villet, D. Bilton, H. Barber-James, L. Brendonck. 2019. Deeper knowledge of shallow waters: reviewing the invertebrate fauna of southern African temporary wetlands. Hydrobiologia , 827/1: 89-121.
Houghton, D. 2012. Biological diversity of the Minnesota caddisflies (Insecta, Trichoptera). Zookeys , 189: 1-389.
Vshivkova, T. 2006. Phylogeny of family Limnephilidae (Insecta: Trichoptera) with emphasis on tribe Limnephilini (subfamily Limnephilinae). All Dissertations , 44: 1-576.
Wissinger, S., W. Brown, J. Jannot. 2003. Caddisfly life histories along permanence gradients in high-altitude wetlands in Colorado (U.S.A.). Freshwater Biology , 48/2: 255-270.