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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 Zapada cinctipes (Nemouridae) (Tiny Winter Black) Stonefly Nymph from the Yakima River in Washington
Nymphs of this species were fairly common in late-winter kick net samples from the upper Yakima River. Although I could not find a key to species of Zapada nymphs, a revision of the Nemouridae family by Baumann (1975) includes the following helpful sentence: "2 cervical gills on each side of midline, 1 arising inside and 1 outside of lateral cervical sclerites, usually single and elongate, sometimes constricted but with 3 or 4 branches arising beyond gill base in Zapada cinctipes." This specimen clearly has the branches and is within the range of that species.
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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Lateral view of a Hydropsyche aenigma (Hydropsychidae) (Spotted Sedge) Caddisfly Adult from the West Branch of the Delaware River in New York
These big caddisflies were tempting trout as they wriggled out of their shucks, while others skated across the water at a medium pace, probably egg-laying.
Troutnut
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Bellevue, WA

Posts: 2758
Troutnut on May 18, 2007May 18th, 2007, 1:43 pm EDT
I'm really just guessing. I'm too busy too key it out right now but I'd really like to know what it is. This was one of the main species the fish were taking (along with Apple Caddis) on the West Branch of the Delaware the other day.
Jason Neuswanger, Ph.D.
Troutnut and salmonid ecologist
Taxon
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Plano, TX

Posts: 1311
Taxon on May 18, 2007May 18th, 2007, 4:22 pm EDT
Sure looks like Hydropsyche to me. There are ~13 species in NY, and I don't have access to species keys. However, I suppose H. betteni can be eliminated as a possibility, as your specimen would be too short for that species.
Best regards,
Roger Rohrbeck
www.FlyfishingEntomology.com
GONZO
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"Bear Swamp," PA

Posts: 1681
GONZO on May 20, 2007May 20th, 2007, 8:49 am EDT
If I'm reading the wing venation correctly in photo #16, this looks like Ceratopsyche.
Creno
Grants Pass, OR

Posts: 302
Creno on Dec 22, 2007December 22nd, 2007, 10:10 am EST
Folks - Ceratopsyche - Symphitopsyche - Hydropsyche - just another problem for the splitters. Right now there seem to be two schools and both are represented in the previous postings.

While the photos are some of the best I have seen of the details necessary to make a determination, I cannot quite make out the single final character needed to be sure (the lateral spur on that most intimate of the male parts). But based on what I can see, and the great photo of the goldish spots on the wings I would suggest Hydropsyche (Ceratopsyche) aenigma.

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