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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.

Dorsal view of a Kogotus (Perlodidae) Stonefly Nymph from Mystery Creek #199 in Washington
This one pretty clearly keys to Kogotus, but it also looks fairly different from specimens I caught in the same creek about a month later in the year. With only one species of the genus known in Washington, I'm not sure about the answer to this ID.
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.
Troutnut is a project started in 2003 by salmonid ecologist Jason "Troutnut" Neuswanger to help anglers and fly tyers unabashedly embrace the entomological side of the sport. Learn more about Troutnut or support the project for an enhanced experience here.

Identification Needs

Identification Needs

This page includes an automated list of specimens in need of more detailed identification. Because my academic specialty is salmonid ecology and I'm not an entomologist by training, I can only partially keep up with accurately identifying all the invertebrates I collect. I haven't had time to develop the at-a-glance familiarity experts have with many western species, and keying them out is often time-consuming or impossible from photographs, even with all the closeups I take. So I still rely on the generous volunteer help of more experienced entomologists to keep up with specific IDs. This page is intended to facilitate that help and prevent specimens from falling through the cracks.


If you can help with an improved ID on any of the specimens listed, please comment on the specimen page or email me at jason@troutnut.com with the specimen ID number (visible in its URL) and identification. If you can provide the rationale for the identification in a public comment, so others can learn more from it, that's ideal -- but feel free to just drop the name if you're busy and you're somebody I already know and trust to get it right.


Each list is prioritized with the specimens most recently added to the site appearing first, regardless of collection date.

Specimens unidentified to family

Mayflies unidentified to family

None. All caught up on these.

Caddisflies unidentified to family

None. All caught up on these.

Stoneflies unidentified to family

None. All caught up on these.

Diptera (true flies) unidentified to family

None. All caught up on these.

Specimens unidentified to genus

Mayflies unidentified to genus

Caddisflies unidentified to genus

Stoneflies unidentified to genus

Specimens of select taxa unidentified to species

Ephemerella mayflies unidentified to species

Drunella mayflies unidentified to species

Paraleptophlebia mayflies unidentified to species

Siphlonurus mayflies unidentified to species

Rhithrogena mayflies unidentified to species

Cinygmula mayflies unidentified to species

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