\o4i [December, 



A ^vIAEIXE CADDIS-FLY IX NEW SOUTH WALES. 



BY KOBERT McLACHLAX, F.R.S., (fee. 



More than five years ago I published in this Magazine (vol. 

 xriii, p. 278, Mav, 1SS2) some notes on a marine caddis-fly in New- 

 Zealand, and in the Journal of the Linnean Society, Zoology, vol. xvi, 

 pp. 117 — 422, a more detailed account was giyen, with figures, the 

 insect apparently being Philanisus pJehejus, Walker. 



Some time ago, Mr. A. Sidney Olliff, of the Australian Museum, 

 Sydney, IST.S.W., informed me that caddis-worms had been found 

 between high and low water-marks in Sydney Harbour. More 

 recently, he forwarded two cases with larvae, and stated that they were 

 from shallow rock-pools at Chowder Bay, Port Jackson, in January, 

 between high and low water-marks, and that no fresh water stream 

 exists in the locality. He said, furthermore, that the cases are 

 familiar to shell collectors. 



These eases are cylmdrical tubes, 7 and 9 mm. long respeetivelT, by about 2 

 mm. in diameter; the smaller one is very sliglitly curved, and somewhat attenuated 

 gradually to the tail-end ; the larger is nearly straight, and of nearly equal diameter 

 throughout. The material consists of small irregular vegetable fragments arranged 

 en mosaique. 



The larva from the larger case is 7 mm. long, greyish-white in colour, but the 

 head and pronotum slightly yellowish. The head is cut squarely in front, and the 

 anal segment ends somewhat squarely, with very short anal claws. The division 

 between meso- and meta-notum faintly indicated. Ifo protuberances on the first 

 abdominal segment. As the larva is only slightly attenuated posteriorly, the sides 

 are nearly parallel, and the form is sub-cylindric ; at present I can detect no trace 

 of respiratory filaments. Anterior-legs very short, posterior rather long ; the femora 

 much thickened ; terminal claw long and stout. (Mouth parts not at present 

 examined ; the mandibles are very short.) Altogether there is very much general 

 resemblance to the Kew Zealand larva believed to be that of Philanisus. 



The last remark is significant. After writing it, I proceeded to 

 look over a beautiful series of Ti-iclwptera given me by Mr. E. 

 Meyrick. Amongst them is a specimen of P. plehejiis, from Lyttleton, 

 K. Z., and immediately below this (as placed by Mr. Meyrick) is a 

 series of eight examples of a Fliilanisus from " Sydney, AT. S. W., 

 21/8/84." This is very important; it proves that P/z//fi?«'s!/s exists 

 also in Australia ; and it tends to prove that the marine larvae found 

 in Sydney Harbour are those of the Philanisus* iaken by Mr. Meyrick 

 at Sydney. 



* Jlr. Meyrick has kindly supplied the following particulars eoncemiug- this species : — " It 

 "was common on the rock-faces in the Government Domain, Sydney, where there is a rocky 

 " point jutting out into the sea, called 'Mrs. Macquarie's Chair.' L particularly noticed these 

 " Caddis-dies fi-om their position, because there is no fresh water near, save that after wet 

 " weather the rock-faces become wet fi-om the drainage thiough the stone from above. I there- 

 " fore thought it quite possible they might be marine." 



