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Lateral view of a Male Baetis (Baetidae) (Blue-Winged Olive) Mayfly Dun from Mystery Creek #43 in New York
Blue-winged Olives
Baetis

Tiny Baetis mayflies are perhaps the most commonly encountered and imitated by anglers on all American trout streams due to their great abundance, widespread distribution, and trout-friendly emergence habits.

Dorsal view of a Neoleptophlebia (Leptophlebiidae) Mayfly Nymph from the Yakima River in Washington
Some characteristics from the microscope images for the tentative species id: The postero-lateral projections are found only on segment 9, not segment 8. Based on the key in Jacobus et al. (2014), it appears to key to Neoleptophlebia adoptiva or Neoleptophlebia heteronea, same as this specimen with pretty different abdominal markings. However, distinguishing between those calls for comparing the lengths of the second and third segment of the labial palp, and this one (like the other one) only seems to have two segments. So I'm stuck on them both. It's likely that the fact that they're immature nymphs stymies identification in some important way.
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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Mayfly Species Epeorus suffusus

Where & when

Time of year : June

Species Range

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.

Male Spinner

Described in Needham et al (1935) as Iron suffusus
Body length: 11 mm
Wing length: 11? mm

Similar to dark form of I. humeralis (now a synonym for Epeorus vitreus) but with larger genitalia, and the penes more widely separated apically.

Larger than dark form of I. humeralis, and with larger eyes. Thorax dull brown, the posterior portions deeper brown. Legs pale yellowish; all femora with median and apical dark spots. Venation pale. Abdominal tergites suffused with brown, except for a double row of oval white spots. Tails pale; traces of brown rings at the basal joinings. Penes quite similar in shape to those of I. humeralis, but larger and more widely separated apically. The larger size and slight structural differences in the penes seem to distinguish this species from I. humeralis, dark form.


Start a Discussion of Epeorus suffusus

References

Mayfly Species Epeorus suffusus

Species Range
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