Spotted Sedge vs Brazilian Railroad Worm

Side-by-side species comparison

Attribute Spotted Sedge Brazilian Railroad Worm
Scientific Name Hydropsyche siltalai Phrixothrix viviani
Order Trichoptera Coleoptera
Family Hydropsychidae Phengodidae
Size 10-14 mm 20-40 mm (female), 10-14 mm (male)
Habitat Rivers & Streams Grasslands
Diet Omnivores Omnivores
Regions Europe South America, Brazil
Conservation Least Concern Least Concern

Spotted Sedge

A net-spinning caddisfly that constructs silken capture nets in fast-flowing water to filter food from the current. Adults have spotted brown wings.

💡

Did You Know?

Net-spinning caddisfly larvae are such effective filter feeders that they can remove significant amounts of fine particles from stream water.

Brazilian Railroad Worm

A tropical glowworm beetle with the remarkable ability to produce both green lateral lights and a red cephalic light. The female is large and larviform, while the male is a small, short-lived winged beetle.

💡

Did You Know?

The red and green lights are produced by different luciferases, making this beetle a subject of intensive biochemical research.