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.

This little pool in update New York is enjoyed by many tourists every day, and it still holds a few trout -- stockers mostly, but you can't complain about the setting!

From Mystery Creek # 62 in New York

Stream photos

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Tricorythodes (Trico) Mayfly Nymph Tricorythodes (Trico) Mayfly Nymph

Dorsal view of a Tricorythodes (Leptohyphidae) (Trico) Mayfly Nymph from Mystery Creek #308 in Washington

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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.

Synonym of vitreus

This topic is about the Mayfly Genus Epeorus

There is remarkable variety of form and color within this prolific genus of fast-water mayflies. Different species are found across the country, and several cause good hatches. Fly anglers are likely to encounter the lesser species on occasion, too.

The best Epeorus hatch in the East is Epeorus pleuralis, the famous Quill Gordon, the first abundant large mayfly hatch of the year. Epeorus vitreus comes a little later and is important in both the East and Midwest.

In the West, Epeorus longimanus dominates in fast, high-altitude streams, while Epeorus albertae inhabits slower and lower waters.

Example specimens

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Male Epeorus albertae (Pink Lady) Mayfly Spinner

Lateral view of a Male Epeorus albertae (Heptageniidae) (Pink Lady) Mayfly Spinner from the North Fork Stillaguamish River in Washington

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Male Epeorus deceptivus Mayfly Dun

Artistic view of a Male Epeorus deceptivus (Heptageniidae) Mayfly Dun from the South Fork Sauk River in Washington

The lack of a darkened humeral crossvein rules out Epeorus albertae and Epeorus dulciana. The lack of a dark macula on the forefemora rules out Epeorus longimanus. The small size rules out Epeorus grandis and Epeorus permagnus. That leaves as the only possibility known in Washington state Epeorus deceptivus. It is a small species, although not reportedly quite as small as this specimen. I couldn't find anything in the species description in Traver (1935) to definitively confirm or rule out the species ID, given that I don't have the preserved specimen to check under a microscope, but it has to be either deceptivus or something not yet reported in Washington. It was collected at the same time as a similar-sized female dun.

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Female Epeorus albertae (Pink Lady) Mayfly Dun

Artistic view of a Female Epeorus albertae (Heptageniidae) (Pink Lady) Mayfly Dun from the North Fork Stillaguamish River in Washington

GONZO
Site Editor
"Bear Swamp," PA

Posts: 1681

GONZO on Oct 4, 2006October 4th, 2006, 7:27 am EDT

I believe rubidus = vitreus

Troutnut

Administrator
Bellevue, WA

Posts: 2758

Troutnut on Oct 4, 2006October 4th, 2006, 7:51 am EDT

Thanks. Good catch. That must be a recent change, or at least recently added to the mayfly species list at Purdue.

I have one small thing on my programming to-do list before I can make the change, but I'll do it soon.

Jason Neuswanger, Ph.D.
Troutnut and salmonid ecologist

Taxon