Caddisfly Species Ecclisomyia conspersa (Early Western Mottled Sedges)

Source: The Nearctic Ecclisomyia species (Trichoptera: Limnephilidae)

Larval diagnosis. The Ecclisomyia conspersa larva may be separated from the other three Nearctic species by the presence of lateral line gills on abdominal segments II – IV (Fig. 42), lacking in Ecclisomyia bilera, Ecclisomyia maculosa, and Ecclisomyia simulata (Fig. 42). The Ecclisomyia conspersa larva has anterodorsal and anteroventral gills on abdominal segment VII, lacking on the Ecclisomyia maculosa larva. Ecclisomyia conspersa is without dorsoanterior gills on abdominal segment II, but Ecclisomyia simulata larva has them (Fig. 42). The larva of Ecclisomyia conspersa is larger (9 – 16 mm) than larvae of the other three species of Nearctic Ecclisomyia (9 – 12 mm) long. Source: The Nearctic Ecclisomyia species (Trichoptera: Limnephilidae)

Male diagnosis. The single black stout basal spine (Fig. 10 a) arising from each inferior appendage separates Ecclisomyia conspersa from the other three Nearctic species. The inferior appendages of Ecclisomyia bilera lack spines; those of Ecclisomyia maculosa and Ecclisomyia simulata each have 2 long black stout basal spines arising from the mesobasal area (Figs. 22 b, 23 b, 30 b, 31 b). The parameres of Ecclisomyia conspersa are narrow, rounded, and nearly uniform in diameter (Fig. 11 a); those of Ecclisomyia bilera are narrow caudally with distal ends angled dorsad (Figs. 1 a, 2 a); parameres of Ecclisomyia maculosa and Ecclisomyia simulata are fused and with the distal ends incised (Figs. 22 b, 30 b).

Source: The Nearctic Ecclisomyia species (Trichoptera: Limnephilidae)

Pupal diagnosis. Ecclisomyia conspersa pupae may be separated from the other three Nearctic Ecclisomyia species by the presence of lateral line gills on abdominal segments IIp – IVa (Fig. 42), lacking in Ecclisomyia bilera, Ecclisomyia maculosa, and Ecclisomyia simulata (Fig. 42). Each apical process of Ecclisomyia conspersa has 3 long, black stout setae at the apex (Figs. 15 a, 15 b, 17 a, 17 b), whereas those of Ecclisomyia bilera, Ecclisomyia maculosa, and Ecclisomyia simulata each have 2 long black stout setae at the apex (Figs. 5 a, 6 a, 7 a, 26 a, 26 b, 27 a, 28 a, 33 a, 33 b, 34 a, 35 a). The apical process lobes of Ecclisomyia conspersa pupae are straight (Fig. 15 a), not mesally convergent as in the other Ecclisomyia species, however the apical processes of males of Ecclisomyia simulata may sometimes be directed straight caudad, not mesally convergent. The pupal antennae of the Ecclisomyia conspersa female extend to or slightly posterior to the anterior margin of abdominal segment VI, and may extend to the anterior margin of abdominal segment VII. In the other three species the female pupal antennae extend only to the posterior margin of abdominal segment V.