“Little Northeastern Casemakers”
Genus Overview
Neophylax is the only genus of Thremmatidae occurring in the East. The genus includes 29 species in North America, most of them in the East. Larvae are obligate scrapers of diatoms, feeding mainly on the tops of stones in fast water. They are somewhat protected from fish predation by their stout stone cases with ballast stones added laterally to help prevent being swept downstream in the current. When preparing to pupate, they often aggregate on the undersides of larger rocks, each fastening the case to the rock and sealing each end of its case with a small stone. Many species prepare their cases for pupation in spring, but undergo diapause until fall before they actually pupate.
Characteristics
POLLUTION TOLERANCE
Southeast: 1.6
Upper Midwest: 3
0 = least tolerant, 10 = most tolerant
FEEDING HABITS
Scraper / Grazer
MOVEMENT
Clinger
DISTRIBUTION
Widespread (east of the Rocky Mtns.)
HABITAT
Lotic-erosional
Diagnostic Characters
Media
Neophylax
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