The caddis-flies (Trichoptera) of Cuba and of Isla de Pinos: a synthesis

Even a few years ago, the caddis-fly fauna of Cuba remained very poorly known. The situation notably improved, especially following the study of collections made throughout the Island, either by myself, or by Cuban entomologists (Botosaneanu & Sykora 1973, Botosaneanu 1977, Botosaneanu in press). At present, somewhat less than 80 species and subspecies are known from Cuba (2 Rhyacophilidae Hydrobiosinae, 8 Glossosomatidae Protoptilinae, 6 Philopotamidae, 1 Psychomyiidae Xyphocentroninae, 6 Polycentropodidae, 6 Hydropsychidae Hydropsychinae and 3 Macronematinae, 31 Hydroptilidae, 3 Leptoceridae, 2 Odontoceridae, 4 Calamoceratidae, 5 Helicopsychidae). But we can expect some 10 additional species to be discovered. These figures are reasonably high when compared to those obtained for the other antillean Islands (see especially Flint 1964, 1968a, 1968b): for Jamaica and Puerto Rico, both well investigated and smaller than Cuba, the figures are 39 and 32 respectively; only 27 species were quoted from Hispaniola (Haiti, certainly having a rich fauna, is still very poorly known); 44 species have been reported on the whole for the Lesser Antilles. The percentage of endemical taxa is remarkably high: 61 from the 76 total. These are species of Atopsyche Bks., Cubanoptila Sykora (genus endemical in Cuba), Cariboptila Flint, Campsiophora Flint (2 purely Antillean genera), Polycentropus Curt., Hydropsyche Pict., Smicridea McL., Leptonema Guérin, Macronema Pict., Alisotrichia Flint, Ochrotrichia Mos., Metrichia Ross, Loxotrichia Mos., Oxyethira Eat., Hydroptila Dalman, Neotrichia Mort., Oecetis McL., Marilia F. Müller, Phylloicus F. Müller, Helicopsyche Siebold.