Diversity and Distribution

To date, the genus contains 57 described species, all restricted to the New World. Species occur in southern Canada, the United States, Mexico, the Caribbean, and Central and South America. As pointed out by Flint (1974) Leptocella kiangsinica Ulmer and L. maculata Banks, being Oriental, are probably not congeneric with Nectopsyche. The identity of Leptocella nordmani Klingstedt from Sweden is uncertain, but it, too, is undoubtedly not congeneric with Nectopsyche. Forty-eight species occur south of the United States. Remarkably, at least 60 new species are known from the Neotropics. The mountains of Central and South America, especially the northern Andes and the Guyana and Brazilian highlands seem to be especially rich in undescribed species. Some 38 new species are known from southeastern Brazil alone!