The larvae of Stenophylax mitis McLachlan 1875 and Allogamus hilaris (McLachlan 1876a) (Trichoptera: Limnephilidae), with notes on ecology and zoogeography.

The paper gives a description of the hitherto unknown larvae of Stenophylax mitis McLachlan 1875 and Allogamus hilaris (McLachlan 1876a) (Trichoptera: Limnephilidae: Limnephilini; Vshivkova et al. 2007). Information on the morphology of the larvae is given and the most important diagnostic features are illustrated. In the context of published keys, the larva of Stenophylax mitis keys together with Stenophylax permistus McLachlan 1895, S. vibex (Curtis 1834), Stenophylax crossotus McLachlan 1884, Platyphylax frauenfeldi (Brauer, in Brauer & Löw 1857), Micropterna lateralis (Stephens 1837) and M. sequax McLachlan 1875. These species are easily separated by a combination of the following features: spatial extent of the head spinule areas, setation on femora and on the 9th abdominal dorsum, and on the number of posterior sclerites behind each lateral protuberance. Allogamus hilaris keys with Allogamus uncatus (Brauer, in Brauer & Löw 1857), A. mendax (McLachlan 1876a) and Alpopsyche ucenorum (McLachlan 1876b). These species are very similar except in head width which is < 1.50 mm in A. mendax and A. ucenorum and > 1.61 mm in A. hilaris and A. uncatus; the two species in each of the pairs are not separable. With respect to distribution, S. mitis ranges from the Iberian Peninsula to the Balkan Peninsula and from southern Italy and Greece to the Central European Highlands. Allogamus hilaris is restricted to the Western Alps and the northern half of the Apennine Peninsula. In addition, ecological characteristics are briefly discussed.