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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Troutnut on Jul 11, 2012July 11th, 2012, 7:36 pm EDT
I found a little gem of a stream today with some dolly varden within a couple hours of Fairbanks. They're the farthest north native trout I've caught, not counting grayling. I'll put several pictures on the site in the usual way, hopefully soon, but I wanted to post this one as soon as it came off the camera because I really liked how it came out.
Anyone care to guess how big this fish was?
Anyone care to guess how big this fish was?
Jason Neuswanger, Ph.D.
Troutnut and salmonid ecologist
Troutnut and salmonid ecologist
Taxon on Jul 11, 2012July 11th, 2012, 8:21 pm EDT
17.625"
Shanti on Jul 12, 2012July 12th, 2012, 4:06 am EDT
I'm to stunned to make a good guess.
Truly amazing photo!
I would love to have that above the living room couch. Or maybe throw out the TV (since I rarely watch it anyway) and put this picture there instead.
Truly amazing photo!
I would love to have that above the living room couch. Or maybe throw out the TV (since I rarely watch it anyway) and put this picture there instead.
Somewhere, right now, a fish is rising.
And you´re at the computer..
And you´re at the computer..
Oldredbarn on Jul 12, 2012July 12th, 2012, 6:38 am EDT
17.625"
That's pretty damn exact there Roger! :) You have some math program that counts the spots and calculates the size of the fish? I don't think I see parr marks, but I'm going to go in Matt's direction and say 9-10"s.
Those rocks could be butternut squash sized or bigger and the fins on this fish do look rather developed, but I'm thinking Jason has some sort of trick lens on there that makes all his fish look bigger :), or he forgot to remove his "bug lens". If you hold a fish out at arms length, an old guide trick, it can look like you are holding a whale. Example: If you look at my fish in my profile pic everything is pretty much to scale...I have a picture of that same fish held up close to the lens by the guy who took my picture and it dwarfs him. :)
Spence
"Even when my best efforts fail it's a satisfying challenge, and that, after all, is the essence of fly fishing." -Chauncy Lively
"Envy not the man who lives beside the river, but the man the river flows through." Joseph T Heywood
"Envy not the man who lives beside the river, but the man the river flows through." Joseph T Heywood
Taxon on Jul 12, 2012July 12th, 2012, 7:17 am EDT
Hi Spence,
:-)
:-)
Shawnny3 on Jul 12, 2012July 12th, 2012, 8:17 am EDT
8"
Jewelry-Quality Artistic Salmon Flies, by Shawn Davis
www.davisflydesigns.com
www.davisflydesigns.com
Entoman on Jul 12, 2012July 12th, 2012, 9:13 am EDT
Spence -
Close... I think he's going by scale size. Can't you see them? Based on the size of the pectorals ;), I think it's 8" give or take a few.
BTW - Beautiful photo, Jason. You're very talented...
You have some math program that counts the spots and calculates the size of the fish?
Close... I think he's going by scale size. Can't you see them? Based on the size of the pectorals ;), I think it's 8" give or take a few.
BTW - Beautiful photo, Jason. You're very talented...
"It's not that I find fishing so important, it's just that I find all other endeavors of Man equally unimportant... And not nearly as much fun!" Robert Traver, Anatomy of a Fisherman
Pryal74 on Jul 12, 2012July 12th, 2012, 10:55 am EDT
That's an outstanding photo!! That's one of the best underwater photos I have ever seen!
9 inches?
9 inches?
-James Pryal
Into The Wild Fly Fishing
Into The Wild Fly Fishing
Orn on Jul 13, 2012July 13th, 2012, 1:23 am EDT
That's a fantastic photo! I'll say 25 cm(SI-units FTW)
.
Troutnut on Jul 13, 2012July 13th, 2012, 7:32 am EDT
Some good guesses here. Now I'm wishing I had actually measured it with a ruler, so I could see who was closest. It was in the 8.5-9" range.
I didn't do anything special with the perspective to make it look bigger, but I like how it came out that way just because there's nothing to give you a concrete sense of size in the photo. Entoman had the right idea looking at the scale sizes.
I didn't do anything special with the perspective to make it look bigger, but I like how it came out that way just because there's nothing to give you a concrete sense of size in the photo. Entoman had the right idea looking at the scale sizes.
Jason Neuswanger, Ph.D.
Troutnut and salmonid ecologist
Troutnut and salmonid ecologist
PaulRoberts on Jul 13, 2012July 13th, 2012, 8:24 am EDT
Wow. Stunning. Ahhhhhhhhh.......
It looks mature, or very close, owing to the full and rounded fins. It looks like a very small fish, compact in body size due to the extreme (far northern) location. I'll agree with Kurt on ballpark size, but change the units to inches, or even cm.
Ach! Jason you got there first.
It looks mature, or very close, owing to the full and rounded fins. It looks like a very small fish, compact in body size due to the extreme (far northern) location. I'll agree with Kurt on ballpark size, but change the units to inches, or even cm.
Ach! Jason you got there first.
Troutnut on Jul 13, 2012July 13th, 2012, 11:04 am EDT
It looks mature, or very close, owing to the full and rounded fins. It looks like a very small fish, compact in body size due to the extreme (far northern) location. I'll agree with Kurt on ballpark size, but change the units to inches, or even cm.
All correct. This tiny stream has a population of non-anadromous dwarf dolly varden with a size range similar to lots of small brookie streams back east. I missed brookie fishing... now I have a place to get my fix!
Jason Neuswanger, Ph.D.
Troutnut and salmonid ecologist
Troutnut and salmonid ecologist
PaulRoberts on Jul 13, 2012July 13th, 2012, 11:30 am EDT
Jason, what's the camera you used?
Troutnut on Jul 13, 2012July 13th, 2012, 12:47 pm EDT
Canon D10. Like all the waterproof compacts it's hit-or-miss on quality, but it gets some great hits! They have a newer one out that looks great, the D20 (not to be confused with the 20D, the very non-waterproof old DSLR I used for most of this site).
Jason Neuswanger, Ph.D.
Troutnut and salmonid ecologist
Troutnut and salmonid ecologist
PaulRoberts on Jul 13, 2012July 13th, 2012, 1:36 pm EDT
Thanks, Jason.
I have the Oly, which works well enough provided there's enough light. I asked bc while snorkling last week mine leaked(!), which fogged the lens for a day or so. Scared me. I'd had the seals replaced this winter but, as I feared, messing with something complex that works, is asking for trouble.
I have the Oly, which works well enough provided there's enough light. I asked bc while snorkling last week mine leaked(!), which fogged the lens for a day or so. Scared me. I'd had the seals replaced this winter but, as I feared, messing with something complex that works, is asking for trouble.
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