Keynote: The Trichoptera fauna of Asia

Abstract

Many foreign and indigenous scientists have contributed extensively to our knowledge of Asian caddisflies. At the time of the Trichoptera Symposium in 2012, the number (1,090 spp.) and density (43 spp./Gm2) of Trichoptera species in the East Palearctic Region were the least for any of the Earth’s 7 biogeographic regions as defined by the Trichoptera World Checklist; the number (5,313 spp.) and density (405 spp./Gm2) in the Oriental Region were the greatest. Limnephilidae, Rhyacophilidae, and Leptoceridae are the most speciose families in the East Palearctic Region; Leptoceridae, Hydropsychidae, and Hydroptilidae in the Oriental Region. In the East Palearctic Region, 288 fossil species have been reported, most of which are ichnotaxa, sedimentary impressions of larval cases for which the family is unknown; in the Oriental Region, only two fossil species are known, both from Burmese amber. Based on cosmopolitan species, the distinction between the East Palearctic and Oriental Regions is as great or greater than average; the distinction between the East and West Palearctic Regions is less than average but between the East Palearctic and the Nearctic Region is greater; the fauna of the Oriental Region is conspicuously endemic. Future increases in knowledge of the Asia Trichoptera fauna will result from accelerated collecting in poorly explored regions; increasing the rate of identifying and describing new and poorly known species, especially with use of modern molecular, computational, and networking tools and especially focusing on descriptions of larvae in the Oriental Region; mentoring young Asian Trichoptera scientists for excellence in research quality and productivity; and promoting international collaborations for theoretical and applied science in Asia.