Mother of Pearl Caddisfly vs Southern Stonefly

Side-by-side species comparison

Attribute Mother of Pearl Caddisfly Southern Stonefly
Scientific Name Mystacides azurea Aphanicerca capensis
Order Trichoptera Plecoptera
Family Leptoceridae Notonemouridae
Size 7-10 mm 6-10 mm
Habitat Rivers & Streams Mountains
Diet Detritivores Detritivores
Regions Europe, Asia Southern Africa
Conservation Least Concern Least Concern

Mother of Pearl Caddisfly

A small iridescent caddisfly with long antennae and pearly blue-green wings. It swarms in large mating flights over lakes and slow rivers.

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Did You Know?

The iridescent wing scales of this caddisfly create a shimmering blue-green appearance unique among the Trichoptera.

Southern Stonefly

A small brown stonefly endemic to mountain streams of the Western Cape, South Africa. It belongs to a Southern Hemisphere family with Gondwanan origins.

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Did You Know?

Its family Notonemouridae is found only in the Southern Hemisphere, a legacy of the breakup of Gondwana.