— https://doi.org/10.24199/j.mmv.1977.38.01 4 April 1977 A TAXONOMIC AND ZOOGEOGRAPHIC STUDY OF TASMANIAN CADDIS-FLIES (INSECTA: TRICHOPTERA) By Arturs Neboiss Curator of Insects, National Museum of Victoria Abstract The systematics of the Trichoptera of Tasmania (excluding the two island groups in Bass Strait) is examined. For easier assessment the island is subdivided into seven provinces, the boundaries of which are based on a combination of landforms, geological features, vegetation and climatic conditions. About 18 000 specimens, most of which were collected by the author between the years 1965 and 1974, were examined. There are now 157 species recognized in Tasmania, which are placed in 66 genera and 21 families, of which 16 genera and 64 species are described as new. Due to changes in higher classification, several new family names appear, and three families are recorded from the state for the first time—families Stenopsychidae, Kokiriidae and Oeconesidae, the latter not being known from the Australian mainland. Of the total caddis-fly fauna, 74% of the species appear to be endemic to Tasmania. The proportion of endemic species varies throughout the island, being highest in the two western provinces (73%), but lowest in the eastern provinces (50%). The fauna shows a high proportion of trans-antarctic elements, exhibiting close relationships with New Zealand and South American species. description of a mollusc, which proved to be Introduction an insect living in a snail-like case, made from The objective of this study is to determine sand grains (Dyer, 1879). Undoubtedly, this the composition of the Tasmanian trichopteran note refers to the larvae of the family Helicop- fauna, which until recent years was very poorly sychidae. It was not until Mosely added further known. Undoubtedly, further intensive collect- species between 1933 and 1936, that the num- ing will reveal more, yet unknown species and ber of species increased and reached the total the knowledge of the distribution of the pre- of 18, placed in seven families. In the publica- sently known species will be greatly expanded. tion by Mosely and Kimmins (1953), the Information on immature stages is limited, but number of species was increased to 58, but once studied in detail, will clarify many out- with other publications, which appeared in the standing questions on the relationships between following years (Neboiss, 1959, 1962 and Jac- species, genera and families, particularly those quemart, 1965a and b), the total number of with a trans-antarctic distribution. species recorded rose, and stood at 85 at the The first three species of Trichoptera from time when this study was started. Tasmania were recorded by Francis Walker Most of the material was collected by the (1852), when he described Leptocerus magnus author during seven extensive collecting ex- (now Triplectides) and Leptocerus oppositus peditions between 1965 and 1974, when more (now Symphitoneuria); as a third species he than 18 000 specimens were collected. Ad- listed a variety of Plectrotarsus gravenhorsti ditionally, Dr E. F. Riek, of Canberra, made Kolenati, which later was recognized and de- available his collection containing about 2000 scribed by Mosely as a separate species Plec- specimens. Smaller numbers were obtained trotarsus tasmanicus. This first record was fol- from other collectors. About 16 000 specimens lowed by nearly 80 years of almost complete of the available material have been identified to silence, with only an occasional reference to species and constitute the basis of this study. Trichoptera of the island. One such note ap- The remaining specimens are mainly females, peared in the meeting notices of the Royal So- which could be identified only to genus, or re- ciety of Tasmania, regarding the erroneous ferred to species with some doubt. J ARTURS NEBOISS Altogether 66 genera, containing 157 species The author gratefully acknowledges the grant and placed in 21 families are dealt with in this received from the Australian Biological Re- study; of these, 16 genera and 64 species are search Study, Interim Council, which made it described as new. It was found that the avail- possible to extend investigations to additional able material contained all but eight species: localities and aided the printing of this volume; the unique types of three were available for the Tasmanian National Parks and Wildlife study, but for each of the remaining five, only a Service for permission to collect specimens brief description is given. within the National Parks, and the respective Locality and collecting data are listed for rangers for their personal interest and help; Dr each species following the description, and dis- P. S. Lake and Dr P. Taylor of the University tribution is shown on the accompanying maps. of Tasmania, Hobart, for their co-operation; Depository institutions are indicated in the Dr E. F. Riek, CSIRO Division of Entomology, text by the following abbreviations: Canberra, for the loan of his extensive collec- ANIC— Australian National Insect Collec- tion and valuable discussions, which helped to tion, Canberra clarify many taxonomic problems; Prof G. Mar- BMNH— British Museum (Natural History), lier and Dr S. Jacquemart of the Institute Royal London des Sciences Naturelles de Belgique, Brussels, IRScNB— Institut Royal des Sciences Natu- for the loan of type material in their custody; relles de Belgique, Brussels Dr P. C. Barnard of Department of Ento- LM— Zoological Museum, Leningrad mology, British Museum Natural History, Lon- MCZ— Museum of Comparative Zoology, don, Dr V. Ziltzova, of Zoological Museum, Harvard University, Cambridge Leningrad, and Mr A. G. McFarlane of Can- NMV— National Museum of Victoria, Mel- terbury Museum, Christchurch, New Zealand, bourne for loan of types and other specimens; Dr H. H. NRS— Naturhistoriska Riksmuseet, Stock- Ross of the University of Georgia, Athens, holm Georgia, USA, Prof. J. lilies of Limnologische QM— Queensland Museum, Brisbane Flusstation, Schlitz, Germany, and Dr H. QU— Queensland University, Brisbane Malicky of Biologische Station Lunz, Lunz am SAM— South Australian Museum, Ade- See, Austria, for helpful discussions and advice laide on taxonomic problems. TM— Tasmanian Museum and Art Gal- Equally important and greatly appreciated is lery, Hobart. the generous technical help received from Mr V. Salinitri, Zoology Acknowledgements Department, Monash Uni- versity, Clayton. A study of this nature could not be accom- Sincere thanks are due to Mr I. Dimits for plished without the assistance of many institutes the permission to use his excellent photographs and persons, therefore to all of them I wish to to illustrate some of the most interesting locali- extend gratitude my and sincere thanks. ties. Especially I wish to thank Professor J. W. Finally, and most of all, I would like Warren, Chairman Department of Zoology, to thank my wife, Austra, for her patience, Monash University, Clayton, and Mr J. Mc- never-ending encouragement and support Nally, Director National Museum of Victoria, throughout the years of study and for typing for making this study possible; to Dr G. Etter- the manuscript. Without her help the comple- shank, Department of Zoology, Monash Uni- tion of this study would have been so much versity, for his constructive criticism and en- more difficult. couragement throughout the preparation of this Study Area work; and to Charles Mr McCubbin, Mel- 1. DESCRIPTION bourne, who with his skill and enthusiasm or- The present study deals with material col- ganized the first two collecting expeditions to lected in Tasmania, although occasionally Southwest Tasmania. it has been necessary to include information on TASMANIAN CADDIS-FLIES specimens from other Australian localities. coastal belt around the island. Maximum tem- Physically, Tasmania is part of the East- peratures reach as high as in the South- Australian 40°C Highlands, but it is separated from east (Derwent River valley), and drop as low the mainland by the relatively shallow Bass as — 12°C on the central high plateau. The Strait. It is an island of 2 67 340 km , located be- island is mostly mountainous and very little of tween 40° and 44° south latitude and 144°30' its surface is classified as coastal lowlands. and 148°30' east longitude. This is an area For the purpose of analysing the composition dominated by strong westerly winds, but with of Tasmanian Trichoptera, it was necessary to an otherwise temperate oceanic climate. The subdivide the island into seven provinces, the mean summer (December-February) tempera- boundaries of which are based on a combina- ture ranges between 11°C on the highlands to tion of landforms (elevations, watersheds, etc.), 18°C on the Eastern coastal regions. The mean geological features, vegetation and climatic con- winter (June-August) temperatures are as low ditions (particularly rainfall and tempera- as 2°C on the highlands to 9°C on a narrow ture) —see Map 1. Map 1 —Boundaries of provinces. ARTURS NEBOISS occupying the The two island groups, including King and Northwestern province (NW) line through Mt Sorell-Franklin Flinders islands, just north of Tasmania, are area north of a west of the Cen- excluded from the present survey, due to River-Lake King William and River. Vegetation limited funds and time. tral Plateau along the Mersey type, with some sedge- References to the provinces throughout the is dominantly rain-forest heaths, interrupted by tracts text are made in their abbreviated form by lands and coastal yellow podzolic soils. capital letters shown in parentheses below. of cleared land; mainly with Northern province (N) includes the coastal Relief hilly to rugged, drainage westerly and Pieman heathlands along the NE coast, but otherwise two major stream systems—Arthur Rainfall ranging from high in the it is dominated by dry sclerophyll forest and ex- Rivers. in tensive areas of cleared, cultivated land. Relief southern part of the province to moderate mainly undulating, drainage northerly, main the north.