Associating life stages and sexes of Nearctic Polycentropus Curtis, 1835 (Trichoptera: Polycentropodidae) using mitochondrial DNA barcoding

Alpha taxonomy of caddisflies (order Trichoptera) is based primarily on male genital morphology. As such, associations of adult females and other life stages typically require conclusive association with the species’ identifiable male. The aim of this study was to use molecular methods to associate females and larvae of Polycentropus species represented in the Nearctic. Analysis of mtCOI sequences using distance‐ and tree‐based methods resulted in the association of larvae for 14 species of Polycentropus (P. alabamensis Hamilton, Harris & Lago, 1990, P. blicklei Ross & Yamamoto 1965, P. carlsoni Morse 1971, P. carolinensis Banks 1905, P. colei Ross 1941, P. confusus Hagen 1861, P. denningi Smith 1962, P. elarus Ross 1944, P. gertschi Denning 1950, Polycentropus halidus Milne 1936, P. maculatus Banks 1908, P. pentus Ross 1941, P. rickeri Yamamoto 1966, and P. variegatus Banks 1900) and females for 2 species (P. carolinensis and P. chelatus Ross & Yamamoto 1965). Searches for, and descriptions of, diagnostic morphological characters for these previously unidentifiable life forms are now possible. The identity of the larva of P. centralis Banks, 1914 is confirmed and some interesting phylogenetic relationships and a possible cryptic species and potential synonyms are implied in the results. Targets for future immature‐ and female–male associations are discussed along with a preliminary assessment of morphological differences among larvae.