Chapter 1 - Núria BONADA

Trichopteran species list
with controlled water temperature (–10 to 40ºC). A water pump recirculates and cleans it,
providing oxygen at the same time. Purified water at 19ºC was used in the circuit, and the
system was exposed to natural light. Larvae from last instars were located in cages separately
by sampling sites or rivers (Figure 1b). Each cage had a substrate composed by clean gravels.
For shredders, food was supplied using leaf-litter taken from riverbeds. For grazers, stones with
periphiton were collected in the same site were larvae was obtained. We were not able to rear
predators and filters-feeders.
abcd
Figure 1. 1a. Rearing system.
1b. Cages to rear caddisfly larvae. Larvae were grouped in cages by sites.
1c. Pupae collected in the field and ready to emerge,
1d. Light trap working in the field.
On the other hand, adults were also obtained in the field catching them among riparian
vegetation with a net or using a light trap with an UV-light connected to a car battery (Figure
1c). To identify adults and pupae specimens, genitalia were digested in a 10% KOH solution, at
90ºC constant temperature. Once digested, genitalia was observed and identified under the
stereoscope or microscope in a glycerin solution (M. A. González, pers. comm.).
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