Observations on Trichopteran Predators of Aquatic Stages of Simulium Damnosum and Other Simulium Species in Ghana1

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Abstract
In Ghana Hydropsyche sp. and Cheumatopsyche sp. larvae (both Hydropsychidae) were observed to construct nets in Simulium-containing aquaria in the laboratory, and to feed readily on S. damnosum larvae which entered the funnel of the nets. The methods of attack upon the Simulium larvae are described. Chimarra larvae (Philopotamidae) seldom attacked Simulium larvae which were held at the entrance to the finger-like net. No attached blackfly larvae were seen to be attacked by caddis larvae under laboratory conditions, but motile ones were. A larva of Orthotrichia sp. (Hydroptilidae) was found in nature feeding on pupae of S. alcocki occidentale and S. schoutedeni. They may have been attacked because of a possible resemblance of their respiratory filaments to algal filaments upon which Orthotrichia larvae usually feed. A study of gut contents of 50 randomly selected Hydropsyche larvae which had been collected along with S. damnosum revealed blackfly larval head capsules and/or cephalic fans in 5 specimens. Simulium remains were also found in 3 of 25 Cheumatopsyche larvae. The literature on trichopteran predators of blackfly larvae is reviewed.

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