Header image
Enter a name
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.

Case view of a Pycnopsyche guttifera (Limnephilidae) (Great Autumn Brown Sedge) Caddisfly Larva from the Yakima River in Washington
It's only barely visible in one of my pictures, but I confirmed under the microscope that this one has a prosternal horn and the antennae are mid-way between the eyes and front of the head capsule.

I'm calling this one Pycnopsyche, but it's a bit perplexing. It seems to key definitively to at least Couplet 8 of the Key to Genera of Limnephilidae Larvae. That narrows it down to three genera, and the case seems wrong for the other two. The case looks right for Pycnopsyche, and it fits one of the key characteristics: "Abdominal sternum II without chloride epithelium and abdominal segment IX with only single seta on each side of dorsal sclerite." However, the characteristic "metanotal sa1 sclerites not fused, although often contiguous" does not seem to fit well. Those sclerites sure look fused to me, although I can make out a thin groove in the touching halves in the anterior half under the microscope. Perhaps this is a regional variation.

The only species of Pycnopsyche documented in Washington state is Pycnopsyche guttifera, and the colors and markings around the head of this specimen seem to match very well a specimen of that species from Massachusetts on Bugguide. So I am placing it in that species for now.

Whatever species this is, I photographed another specimen of seemingly the same species from the same spot a couple months later.
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.

Dorsal view of a Rhyacophila brunnea (Rhyacophilidae) (Green Sedge) Caddisfly Larva from unknown in Wisconsin
Litobrancha
Knoxville TN

Posts: 51
Litobrancha on Sep 5, 2006September 5th, 2006, 8:38 am EDT
Wow! Looks like Himalopsyche, a Rhyacophilid we don't get down here. World checklist has one Nearctic species, H. phryganea. Quick note, Himalopsyche fifth instars are huge and supposed to have thoracic branched gills too. Not sure what other Rhyacophila larvae have abdominal gills, in the SE USA only R. brunnea does and i've never seen it. Great photo!
Troutnut
Troutnut's profile picture
Administrator
Bellevue, WA

Posts: 2758
Troutnut on Sep 5, 2006September 5th, 2006, 5:32 pm EDT
Based on the email you sent me tonight, and the distribution records, I've moved this one over to R. brunnea. Thanks for the help!
Jason Neuswanger, Ph.D.
Troutnut and salmonid ecologist

Quick Reply

Related Discussions

Topic
Replies
Last Reply
0
Jul 24, 2007
by Wbranch
9
Jul 24, 2007
by GONZO
4
Apr 8, 2010
by Jmd123
2
Feb 21, 2012
by Lbrize
Troutnut.com is copyright © 2004-2024 (email Jason). privacy policy