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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 Setvena wahkeena (Perlodidae) (Wahkeena Springfly) Stonefly Nymph from Mystery Creek #199 in Washington
As far as I can tell, this species has only previously been reported from one site in Oregon along the Columbia gorge. However, the key characteristics are fairly unmistakable in all except for one minor detail:
— 4 small yellow spots on frons visible in photos
— Narrow occipital spinule row curves forward (but doesn’t quite meet on stem of ecdysial suture, as it's supposed to in this species)
— Short spinules on anterior margin of front legs
— Short rposterior row of blunt spinules on abdominal tergae, rather than elongated spinules dorsally
I caught several of these mature nymphs in the fishless, tiny headwaters of a creek high in the Wenatchee Mountains.
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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Ephemerella excrucians (Pale Morning Dun) Mayfly Nymph Pictures

This specimen was collected together with a darker one of the same species.

Ventral view of a Ephemerella excrucians (Ephemerellidae) (Pale Morning Dun) Mayfly Nymph from Mongaup Creek in New York
The whorls of spines around the tail segments on this nymph had me thinking it was in the closely related Serratella genus for a while, but this close-up picture reveals the web of fine setae that sets the Ephemerella genus apart.

Ephemerella excrucians (Ephemerellidae) (Pale Morning Dun) Mayfly Nymph from Mongaup Creek in New York
Ruler view of a Ephemerella excrucians (Ephemerellidae) (Pale Morning Dun) Mayfly Nymph from Mongaup Creek in New York The smallest ruler marks are 1 mm.
Ephemerella excrucians (Ephemerellidae) (Pale Morning Dun) Mayfly Nymph from Mongaup Creek in New York
Dorsal view of a Ephemerella excrucians (Ephemerellidae) (Pale Morning Dun) Mayfly Nymph from Mongaup Creek in New York

This mayfly was collected from Mongaup Creek in New York on April 19th, 2006 and added to Troutnut.com by Troutnut on April 21st, 2006.


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Ephemerella excrucians (Pale Morning Dun) Mayfly Nymph Pictures

Collection details
Location: Mongaup Creek, New York
Date: April 19th, 2006
Added to site: April 21st, 2006
Author: Troutnut
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