Salmonflies
Pteronarcys californica
The giant Salmonflies of the Western mountains are legendary for their proclivity to elicit consistent dry-fly action and ferocious strikes.
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This is a striking caddis larva with an interesting color pattern on the head. Here are some characteristics I was able to see under the microscope, but could not easily expose for a picture:
- The prosternal horn is present.
- The mandible is clearly toothed, not formed into a uniform scraper blade.
- The seems to be only 2 major setae on the ventral edge of the hind femur.
- Chloride epithelia seem to be absent from the dorsal side of any abdominal segments.
Based on these characteristics and the ones more easily visible from the pictures, this seems to be Grammotaulius. The key's description of the case is spot-on: "Case cylindrical, made of longitudinally arranged sedge or similar leaves," as is the description of the markings on the head, "Dorsum of head light brownish yellow with numerous discrete, small, dark spots." The spot pattern on the head is a very good match to figure 19.312 of Merritt R.W., Cummins, K.W., and Berg, M.B. (2019). The species ID is based on Grammotaulius betteni being the only species of this genus known in Washington state.
- The prosternal horn is present.
- The mandible is clearly toothed, not formed into a uniform scraper blade.
- The seems to be only 2 major setae on the ventral edge of the hind femur.
- Chloride epithelia seem to be absent from the dorsal side of any abdominal segments.
Based on these characteristics and the ones more easily visible from the pictures, this seems to be Grammotaulius. The key's description of the case is spot-on: "Case cylindrical, made of longitudinally arranged sedge or similar leaves," as is the description of the markings on the head, "Dorsum of head light brownish yellow with numerous discrete, small, dark spots." The spot pattern on the head is a very good match to figure 19.312 of Merritt R.W., Cummins, K.W., and Berg, M.B. (2019). The species ID is based on Grammotaulius betteni being the only species of this genus known in Washington state.
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Willmilne on May 18, 2009May 18th, 2009, 12:58 pm EDT
Hi
Looks like I have been bitten by the bug:))
I am considering buying Merrit and Cummins 4th Ed. for an ID reference.. is this the standard?
I am also getting the sense I need a stereo microscope to aid/complement the above... any suggestions under $ 500.00 that would be a ( I know I'm cheap but..) reasonable buy?
Will
Looks like I have been bitten by the bug:))
I am considering buying Merrit and Cummins 4th Ed. for an ID reference.. is this the standard?
I am also getting the sense I need a stereo microscope to aid/complement the above... any suggestions under $ 500.00 that would be a ( I know I'm cheap but..) reasonable buy?
Will
Konchu on May 19, 2009May 19th, 2009, 6:05 am EDT
The reference depends on what level you want to go to.
Good scopes are hard to find for a reasonable price. Finding a good used one is something to try. If you're near a university, sometimes things can be found at salvage sales.
Otherwise, you could try something new from a vendor such as BioQuip. That would give you a good idea about prices.
Good scopes are hard to find for a reasonable price. Finding a good used one is something to try. If you're near a university, sometimes things can be found at salvage sales.
Otherwise, you could try something new from a vendor such as BioQuip. That would give you a good idea about prices.
Willmilne on May 19, 2009May 19th, 2009, 12:03 pm EDT
Hi
I can usually get to the family level , but would like to get the species level. The references I have are fly fishing related and therefore limited by that fact. Hence the thought of Merrit and Cummins as a better resource.
Any suggestions on what magnification range is the most usefull for mayfly/stonefly/caddis keying.
Will
I can usually get to the family level , but would like to get the species level. The references I have are fly fishing related and therefore limited by that fact. Hence the thought of Merrit and Cummins as a better resource.
Any suggestions on what magnification range is the most usefull for mayfly/stonefly/caddis keying.
Will
GONZO on May 19, 2009May 19th, 2009, 12:47 pm EDT
Unless I am mistaken, Merritt and Cummins will usually leave you at genus. Most of the exceptions would probably be fairly unique or monotypical species. Finding reliable species level keys often requires researching the latest scientific papers, and even then you will find instances where up-to-date keys may not exist or may be limited to certain stages (male imagos or nymphs, for example). There are very few shortcuts to species level identification.
However, M&C would certainly be a good place to start and a great help in narrowing down the possibilities--I often wish I had a copy. There are also some useful online resources. If you're not averse to wading through a fair amount of scientific jargon, the FAMU Ephemeroptera Galactica collection of scientific papers is a tremendous resource, though limited primarily to mayfly research.
However, M&C would certainly be a good place to start and a great help in narrowing down the possibilities--I often wish I had a copy. There are also some useful online resources. If you're not averse to wading through a fair amount of scientific jargon, the FAMU Ephemeroptera Galactica collection of scientific papers is a tremendous resource, though limited primarily to mayfly research.
Troutnut on May 20, 2009May 20th, 2009, 1:41 am EDT
Gonzo's right... Merritt & Cummins usually goes just to genus level. For that, it's as good a reference as you can get.
For species, there's usually no option except to build a large collection of obscure scientific papers. Even having done that, some of them are still mysterious to me.
For species, there's usually no option except to build a large collection of obscure scientific papers. Even having done that, some of them are still mysterious to me.
Jason Neuswanger, Ph.D.
Troutnut and salmonid ecologist
Troutnut and salmonid ecologist
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