Addressing biodiversity knowledge shortfalls in New World Helicopsychidae (Insecta, Trichoptera): Potential distribution, environmental gradients, and identification of conservation and research priority areas

PLOS One | https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0327580 July 28, 2025 10 / 22 species, H. (Cochliopsyche) vazquezae (Flint, 1986), and females are documented for two species, H. (Cochliopsyche) clara (Ulmer, 1905) and H. (Cochliopsyche) vazquezae (Table 1). In H. (Feropsyche), males of 121 species and females of 28 species are described, including two species known solely from females: H. (Feropsyche) lutea (Hagen, 1861) and H. (Feropsyche) minuscula Martynov, 1912. Immature stages have been documented for 19 species of H. (Feropsyche). Fig 1. Distribution and environmental suitability map for the New World Helicopsychidae species. A. Environmental suitability map (weighted average) of Helicopsyche (Cochliopsyche); B. Distribution records of Helicopsyche (Cochliopsyche) species; C. Map of high environmental suitability (>0.7) of Helicopsyche (Cochliopsyche); D. Environmental suitability map (weighted average) of Helicopsyche (Feropsyche); E. Distribution records of Helicopsyche (Feropsyche) species; F. Map of high environmental suitability (>0.7) of Helicopsyche (Feropsyche); G. Distribution records of New World Helicopsychidae species; H. Map of high environmental suitability (>0.7) of New World Helicopsychidae. Map created in QGIS v3.40.7. Background: ESRI land cover (https://livingatlas.arcgis.com/landcover/) accessed via the QuickMapServices plugin, country boundaries: geoBoundaries (https://www. geoboundaries.org/), both under CC BY 4.0 license. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0327580.g001