Micro-habitat use and seasonality of caddisfly larvae (Trichoptera) in two streams in eastern Cuba

Four microhabitats within pools (cobbles, sand, leaf litter, and bank vegetation) and one microhabitat in riffles (cobbles) were sampled in both rainy and dry seasons to identify groups of caddisfly species that share larval microhabitats across 15 sites in streams in eastern Cuba. A total of 4,367 individuals representing 13 families, 22 genera, and 36 taxa (species and morphospecies) were collected. To explore the distribution of caddisfly species by microhabitat, a k-means clustering method was used. This analysis grouped the samples into seven clusters based on species abundance across microhabitats, seasonality, altitude, and stream order. The results show that caddisfly abundance is strongly influenced by microhabitat type, seasonal variation, and river characteristics. Riffles consistently had the highest abundance of caddisflies across all sampling periods. Functional feeding groups showed variable abundance and behavior. Scrapers were strongly influenced by seasonality with high abundance in the rainy season, while generalists showed no significant seasonal effect on abundance. This study provides detailed biological trait information for specific caddisfly species, which is essential for using multimetric indices to accurately determine the health of freshwater ecosystems.