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The ability of some caddisflies to select calcareous and siliceous grains during case-building was tested in experimental conditions. This investigation was carried out on Hydropsyche morettii, Limnephilus flavicornis, Micropterna sequax, and Sericostoma pedemontanum; the last of these was collected in a habitat with prevalently calcareous substratum, whereas the remaining species were from marly-arenaceous ones. Larvae were provided with a substratum mixture made up of travertine and quartzite grains (1.0-1.5 mm in size forming a 1-cm-thick substratum). Apart from H. morettii, which only picks up grains in its pupal stage, the remaining species are case-builders during their larval stage. After being removed from their original case, larvae were reared in Petri dishes kept at a constant temperature of 23° C. Video camera recordings, coupled with the analysis of the number and typology of the grains incorporated into each reconstructed case, gave evidence that evicted individuals exhibited a significant preference in the picking up of grains. The Tukey test indicated, with the exception of H. morettii, a significant preference for travertine grains. Sericostoma pedemontanum preferentially selected travertine grains when reared on a mixed substratum, but it built a case using quartzite when provided exclusively with these grains. This demonstrates that the ancestral impulse to construct a protective shield prevails over the nature of the material. The preferential choice of travertine grains could be due to certain mechanical and chemical silk/grain interaction factors.

The first list of Trichoptera from the Lazio region is reported. It is the result of research carried out from 1942-1979 in 23 hypogean cavities and from 1961-2000 in 25 lotic (52 sampling sites) and 17 lentic (24 sampling sites) biotopes. The lotic biotopes include hygropetric habitats, springs, streams, rivers and canals; the lentic biotopes include lakes of different origins and mountain pools. Ninety-one species and 7 subspecies from 18 families were collected. Forty-two species of different ecological categories are found only in lotic biotopes, 18 only in lentic biotopes and 7 species of Stenophylacinae only in hypogean cavities. The species belong to several chorological categories. Eighteen species and 7 subspecies are endemic to the Italian fauna. Six of these are limited to the regions of the Central Apennines, including Apatania volscorum Moretti, Cianficconi & Papagno exclusive to Lazio (Posta Fibreno Lake), Drusus aprutiensis Moretti endemic only to Lazio and Abruzzo, D. camerinus Moretti only to Lazio, Marche and Umbria, Glossosoma serravalle Malicky & Graf to Lazio (Velino River) and to Umbria and Marche (Nera River), Potamophylax cingulatus inermis Moretti & Cianficconi to Lazio, Abruzzo, Umbria and Marche, Allogamus antennatus ausoniae Moretti to Lazio, Abruzzo, Molise, Umbria and Marche. The presence of Chimarra marginata (L.) in the Mignone River is noteworthy because it is a rare species in Italy.

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-We set the first comprehensive inventory of Trichoptera species from the Topino River basin (Umbria, Italy), based on research carried out from 1947 to 2006 at 61 lotic sites (including rheocrenous and rheolimnocrenous springs and watercourses) and 1 lentic site (marsh). In total, 78 species and 5 subspecies from 17 families were collected. The species belong to several chorological categories. The inventory comprises 16 species and 5 subspecies endemic to the Italian fauna with Rhyacophila italica, Drusus camerinus, Drusus improvisus and Allogamus ausoniae limited to the central Apennines. The presence of Beraeodes minutus and Erotesis baltica in the Fonti del Clitunno and Wormaldia pulla marlieri in the Fergia River is noteworthy because they are rare species in Italy. Almost 60 years of research now allow us to draw a synthesis of Trichoptera diversity and distribution in light of the geological history at the drainage basin level.