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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 Zapada cinctipes (Nemouridae) (Tiny Winter Black) Stonefly Nymph from the Yakima River in Washington
Nymphs of this species were fairly common in late-winter kick net samples from the upper Yakima River. Although I could not find a key to species of Zapada nymphs, a revision of the Nemouridae family by Baumann (1975) includes the following helpful sentence: "2 cervical gills on each side of midline, 1 arising inside and 1 outside of lateral cervical sclerites, usually single and elongate, sometimes constricted but with 3 or 4 branches arising beyond gill base in Zapada cinctipes." This specimen clearly has the branches and is within the range of that species.
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.

Pteronarcys biloba (Knobbed Salmonfly) Stonefly Nymph Pictures

Pteronarcys biloba (Pteronarcyidae) (Knobbed Salmonfly) Stonefly Nymph from the Neversink River (above reservoir) in New York
Pteronarcys biloba (Pteronarcyidae) (Knobbed Salmonfly) Stonefly Nymph from the Neversink River (above reservoir) in New York
Pteronarcys biloba (Pteronarcyidae) (Knobbed Salmonfly) Stonefly Nymph from the Neversink River (above reservoir) in New York
Pteronarcys biloba (Pteronarcyidae) (Knobbed Salmonfly) Stonefly Nymph from the Neversink River (above reservoir) in New York
Pteronarcys biloba (Pteronarcyidae) (Knobbed Salmonfly) Stonefly Nymph from the Neversink River (above reservoir) in New York
Pteronarcys biloba (Pteronarcyidae) (Knobbed Salmonfly) Stonefly Nymph from the Neversink River (above reservoir) in New York
Pteronarcys biloba (Pteronarcyidae) (Knobbed Salmonfly) Stonefly Nymph from the Neversink River (above reservoir) in New York
Pteronarcys biloba (Pteronarcyidae) (Knobbed Salmonfly) Stonefly Nymph from the Neversink River (above reservoir) in New York
Pteronarcys biloba (Pteronarcyidae) (Knobbed Salmonfly) Stonefly Nymph from the Neversink River (above reservoir) in New York
Lateral view of a Pteronarcys biloba (Pteronarcyidae) (Knobbed Salmonfly) Stonefly Nymph from the Neversink River (above reservoir) in New York
Pteronarcys biloba (Pteronarcyidae) (Knobbed Salmonfly) Stonefly Nymph from the Neversink River (above reservoir) in New York
Ruler view of a Pteronarcys biloba (Pteronarcyidae) (Knobbed Salmonfly) Stonefly Nymph from the Neversink River (above reservoir) in New York The smallest ruler marks are 1 mm.
Dorsal view of a Pteronarcys biloba (Pteronarcyidae) (Knobbed Salmonfly) Stonefly Nymph from the Neversink River (above reservoir) in New York
Ventral view of a Pteronarcys biloba (Pteronarcyidae) (Knobbed Salmonfly) Stonefly Nymph from the Neversink River (above reservoir) in New York
Pteronarcys biloba (Pteronarcyidae) (Knobbed Salmonfly) Stonefly Nymph from the Neversink River (above reservoir) in New York
Pteronarcys biloba (Pteronarcyidae) (Knobbed Salmonfly) Stonefly Nymph from the Neversink River (above reservoir) in New York
Pteronarcys biloba (Pteronarcyidae) (Knobbed Salmonfly) Stonefly Nymph from the Neversink River (above reservoir) in New York

This stonefly was collected from the Neversink River (above reservoir) in New York on May 6th, 2007 and added to Troutnut.com by Troutnut on May 10th, 2007.

Discussions of this Nymph

proteus, biloba, and comstocki
1 replies
Posted by Beardius on Aug 1, 2008
Last reply on Oct 28, 2008 by GONZO
Pteronarcys proteus has abdominal knobs but has a squared off pronotum (no projection of knob). It differs from dorsata in having knobs on the abdominal segments. There is a picture of a young Pteronarcys proteus nymph here: http://www.discoverlife.org/mp/20q?search=Pteronarcys+proteus

Pteronarcys comstocki has pronotal projections and a spine-like projection on the anterior mesonotal wingpad. I only found them in one stream (trib of Kettle Creek in central PA) of the dozens I've collected. I have not collected them in MD, but they are reported from WV and PA. There is a photo of an immature nymph here: http://www.discoverlife.org/mp/20o?search=Pteronarcys+comstocki

Pteronarcys biloba has pronotal projections but no spines on the wingpads. P. biloba is common up north (NY, VT, NH, ME, etc.). The photo above is of P. biloba. Nice photo here: http://www.discoverlife.org/mp/20q?search=Pteronarcys+biloba

P. scotti is found in the south (SC,GA, etc.)

I never collected P. dorsata, so I figure it must be in larger or warmer rivers.
Help with Pteronarcys species characters?
Posted by GONZO on May 19, 2007
Last reply on May 19, 2007 by GONZO
Jason,

When I first looked at this specimen, my first instinct was to guess that it was biloba, especially coming from the upper Neversink. But, the more I compare it to the specimen I previously guessed as biloba, the more I see subtle differences. The pronotum is a different shape and the knobs or spines extend further along the abdomen. Perhaps these are variable traits or gender differences, but I'm starting to wonder about both IDs.

Of the Eastern (or transcontinental) species, I'm pretty familiar with dorsata and biloba, and I've seen a few specimens that I'm pretty sure are comstocki. These latter specimens had fearsome-looking long spines along the abdomen and I guessed at the comstocki ID mostly because its nickname is the "spiny salmonfly."

I've seen cladistic diagrams that indicate that scotti is considered to be the closest relative of biloba, but it seems to have a more southerly distribution. (That diagram also seemed to explain why Allonarcys is no longer favored as a separate genus for the Pteronarcys species with spines or knobs.)

I'm not aware of the species descriptions of proteus or pictetii. Until I saw a survey of the Delaware River basin, I assumed that the large unknobbed Pteronarcys that I had seen on the main branch were dorsata (and that's what Ernie S. said they were), but the survey lists only biloba, comstocki, and proteus.

Could someone provide some characters for these other species? It would help to resolve my current confusion and would be greatly appreciated.

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Pteronarcys biloba (Knobbed Salmonfly) Stonefly Nymph Pictures

Collection details
Location: Neversink River (above reservoir), New York
Date: May 6th, 2007
Added to site: May 10th, 2007
Author: Troutnut
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