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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 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.
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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Dorsal view of a Prostoia (Nemouridae) (Tiny Winter Black) Stonefly Nymph from Salmon Creek in New York
Cteas
Posts: 1
Cteas on Feb 21, 2009February 21st, 2009, 7:44 am EST
Where are the cervical gills on this specimen?
Taxon
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Site Editor
Plano, TX

Posts: 1311
Taxon on Feb 21, 2009February 21st, 2009, 3:22 pm EST
Cteas-

Unlike other Nemourids, Prostoia nymphs are absent cervical gills.
Best regards,
Roger Rohrbeck
www.FlyfishingEntomology.com
Lbrize
West Virginia, U.S.A.

Posts: 1
Lbrize on Feb 21, 2012February 21st, 2012, 7:40 am EST
Prostoia do not have cervical gills. Likely you are thinking about Amphinemura, very common and with cervical gills.
Society for Freshwater Science (Formerly NABS) EPT East Genus Certified Taxonomist

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