Order:
Larvae: Wings/wing pads absent. Eye spots present, but compound eyes absent. Antennae usually small, inconspicuous. Three pairs of segmented legs present on thorax. Pair of anal prolegs, each with single hook, located on last abdominal segment. Larvae can be free-living, in silken retreats attached to substrate, or in usually-portable tubes or cases made of sand, rocks, or plant material.
Family:
As in all families of superfamily Limnephiloidea, short, inconspicuous antennae are each located about midway between base of mandible and eye. Prosternal horn usually present. Chloride epithelia usually present on at least some abdominal segments. Otherwise distinguished from other Limnephiloidea families as follows: Mandibles usually toothed and setae usually absent between anterodorsal (sa1) sclerites or, if present then fewer than 25 setae (unlike Apataniidae). Mesonotum not notched along anterior margin (unlike Thremmatidae). Mesopleura not expanded as in Goeridae. Larvae usually large when mature and building tubular cases of varying materials, usually rocks or rough plant materials. Mature larvae 6–30 mm.