- Source: Philanisus plebeius
Philanisus plebeius is a species of marine caddisfly in the family Chathamiidae found in New Zealand and Australia. These insects have winged terrestrial adults, eggs are laid in starfish and aquatic larvae live in marine rock pools.
Taxonomy
Described by Walker 1852 from a single adult male specimen. 'Plebeius' means common. Brauer described the same species in 1866 and pointed out the unusual maxillary palpi of males where the insertion of the third joint is well before the apex. F. W. Hutton discovered the larvae live in rock-pools in 1882.
Biology
There are very few insects that live in the sea but this caddisfly cannot survive in freshwater. Philanisus plebeius females lay eggs in starfish. Eggs are found most of the year in the body cavity (coelom) of cushion star Patiriella regularis (NZ) and P. exigua (Australia). Larvae live in tide pools and make a case from seaweed (e.g. Corallina, Zostera) and bits of sand or shell. Larvae go through 7 instars feeding on algae and detritus in tide pools.
Distribution
Philanisus plebeius is found throughout New Zealand on rocky seashores
