Overview
The family is known from Australasian and Neotropical regions with 2 genera in each and a total of 8 species, of which 6 are in Australia. The Australian species are restricted to the eastern part of the mainland and Tas.
Description
Moderately small to medium size, dark, inconspicuous adults with wing span 12-18 mm. Ocelli absent. Maxillary palps 4-segmented in males (Australian species), 5-segmented in females. Antennae slightly longer than fore wing, basal segment longer than head. Eyes covered with short setae. Mesoscutum with pair of rounded setal warts, separated from the median line; scutellum with pair of elongate warts, sometimes fused. Wings rather broad, rounded apically, fore wing with discoidal cell open, anal veins and jugal lobe reduced. Tibial spurs 2:4:4. Adults resemble Conoesucidae in general appearance.
Larval head with antennae midway between eye and antero- lateral margin of head capsule; eyes bulging; ventral apotome triangular, only partially separating the genae. Anterolateral angles of pronotal sclerite extended, acute; mesonotal sclerites not subdivided; metanotum with pair of small sclerites only. S1 with median pair of bristles, abdominal gills as single filaments; lateral fringe well developed. Dorsal sclerite present on segment 9. Larval case tubular, constructed of small stones with larger pieces along sides. Larvae inhabit clear, fast-flowing streams.