Artistic view of a Male Pteronarcys californica (Pteronarcyidae) (Giant Salmonfly) Stonefly Adult from the Gallatin River in Montana

Salmonflies
Pteronarcys californica

The giant Salmonflies of the Western mountains are legendary for their proclivity to elicit consistent dry-fly action and ferocious strikes.

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Ephemerella mucronata Mayfly Nymph Ephemerella mucronata Mayfly Nymph

Dorsal view of a Ephemerella mucronata (Ephemerellidae) Mayfly Nymph from the Yakima River in Washington

This is an interesting one. Following the keys in Merritt R.W., Cummins, K.W., and Berg, M.B. (2019) and Jacobus et al. (2014), it keys clearly to Ephemerella. Jacobus et al provide a key to species, but some of the characteristics are tricky to interpret without illustrations. If I didn't make any mistakes, this one keys to Ephemerella mucronata, which has not previously been reported any closer to here than Montana and Alberta. The main character seems to fit well: "Abdominal terga with prominent, paired, subparallel, spiculate ridges." Several illustrations or descriptions of this holarctic species from the US and Europe seem to match, including the body length, tarsal claws and denticles, labial palp, and gill shapes. These sources include including Richard Allen's original description of this species in North America under the now-defunct name E. moffatae in Allen RK (1977) and the figures in this description of the species in Italy.

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27" brown trout, my largest ever. It was the sub-dominant fish in its pool. After this, I hooked the bigger one, but I couldn't land it.

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Caddisfly Species Culoptila thoracica (Saddle-case Makers)

Where & when

In 19 records from GBIF, adults of this species have been collected during July (47%), June (32%), August (16%), and May (5%).

In 11 records from GBIF, this species has been collected at elevations ranging from 5187 to 10331 ft, with an average (median) of 6079 ft.

Species Range

source

Map of specific collection sites

Physical description

Most physical descriptions on Troutnut are direct or slightly edited quotes from the original scientific sources describing or updating the species, although there may be errors in copying them to this website. Such descriptions aren't always definitive, because species often turn out to be more variable than the original describers observed. In some cases, only a single specimen was described! However, they are useful starting points.

Description from GBIFthe Global Biodiversity Information Facility

Source: Revision of the genus Culoptila (Trichoptera: Glossosomatidae)

Adult. Length of forewing: male 2.8 – 3.2 mm; female 3.2 – 3.8 mm. Color yellowish-brown in alcohol, appendages paler; wing uniformly colored, without evidence of cross bar. Mesothorax of male narrow and greatly acute anteromesally; mesoscutal wart elongate, narrowed, sharply angulate anteromesally; mesoscutal setae long. Mesothoracic tegulae of male rounded, greatly enlarged; tegular setae long; tegular gland elongate, pleated, concertina-like. Male genitalia. Sternum VI process short, subtruncate. Tergum IX ventral margin rounded, tapered from anterolateral margin, slightly produced posteroventrally. Inferior appendages short, subtruncate apically. Tergum X short, about as long as wide, apex in ventral view truncate to subtruncate; ventrolateral processes with apices incurved, nearly planar in caudal view, mesal margin acute; apices not or scarcely posteriorly bent. Phallobase large, rounded anteriorly, with dorsal and ventral margins subparallel, apicodorsal projection short, with slight upward inflection at base, apex subacute. Phallic apparatus with 2 phallic spines, subequal in length, about 1 / 2 length of phallobase, strongly sinuously curved.

Start a Discussion of Culoptila thoracica

References

Allen RK. 1977. New species of Ephemerella (Ephemerella) from Alberta (Ephemeroptera: Ephemerellidae). The Pan-Pacific Entomologist 53: 286-286.
Jacobus, L. M., Wiersema, N.A., and Webb, J.M. 2014. Identification of Far Northern and Western North American Mayfly Larvae (Insecta: Ephemeroptera), North of Mexico; Version 2. Joint Aquatic Science meeting, Portland, OR. Unpublished workshop manual. 1-176.
Merritt R.W., Cummins, K.W., and Berg, M.B. 2019. An Introduction to the Aquatic Insects of North America (Fifth Edition). Kendall/Hunt Publishing Company.