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.

A beautiful braided reach of the Sag River, with the Philip Smith Mountains in the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge (ANWR) in the background.

From the Sagavanirktok River in Alaska

Stream photos

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Lateral view of a Coleoptera (Beetle) Insect Larva from Sears Creek 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.

What genus is this Heptageniid?

Female Rhithrogena Mayfly Spinner

9 Pictures

Lateral view of a Female Rhithrogena (Heptageniidae) Mayfly Spinner from the West Branch of the Delaware River in New York

I'm very tentatively (see the connected forum thread) sticking this mayfly in Rhithrogena for now.

Collected June 6, 2007 from the West Branch of the Delaware River in New York

Added by Troutnut on June 8, 2007

Collected June 6, 2007 from the West Branch of the Delaware River in New York and added by Troutnut on June 8, 2007

Troutnut

Administrator
Bellevue, WA

Posts: 2758

Troutnut on Jun 8, 2007June 8th, 2007, 11:10 am EDT

I didn't even recognize it as a member of that family at first, but it seems to be the only option. The hind tarsus is distinctly 5-segmented, which I verified under the microscope because you can't see it very well on my photos. However, I because it's a female spinner I can't key it to genus using the Merrit & Cummins keys. Does anyone just recognize it?

I found it drifting, nearly dead on the surface at about 5pm on a hot afternoon.

Jason Neuswanger, Ph.D.
Troutnut and salmonid ecologist

Konchu

Site Editor
Indiana

Posts: 498

Konchu on Jun 9, 2007June 9th, 2007, 2:07 am EDT

Ignoring all other details, the body shape & color and leg markings resemble some Epeorus and Rhithrogena. Possibly Rhithrogena is the closest. I collected some about like this with male spinners a few weeks ago in Tennessee.

Troutnut

Administrator
Bellevue, WA

Posts: 2758

Troutnut on Jun 9, 2007June 9th, 2007, 4:16 am EDT

I was considering Rhithrogena too because it has a few of those anastomosed crossveins. They just aren't as prominent as I've seen in most illustrations, which gave me cause for doubt. I'll tentatively stick it in there for now.

Jason Neuswanger, Ph.D.
Troutnut and salmonid ecologist

Tana
Madrid España

Posts: 1

Tana on Jan 31, 2009January 31st, 2009, 9:15 pm EST

Hola, Creo que no es posible determinar un insecto de estas caracteristicas en esste estado, ha tantos tipos de Rhithrogena que no podria saber si realmente es alguna, en estados adultos yo en España recomiendo imitar color y tamaño, a mi me parece que se puede sustituir por la March Bronw, recomiendo leer esto:
http://images.google.es/imgres?imgurl=http://www.cpdrioarga.com/prueba/naturaleza/moscasnaturales/efemeras/heptagenidos/imagenes/heptagenido%2520(subimago)%2520hembra%25202.jpg&imgrefurl=http://www.cpdrioarga.com/prueba/naturaleza/moscasnaturales/efemeras/heptagenidos/heptagenidos.html&usg=__99R-yRByWLBw2Ny4WA5Ygf_8yjs=&h=450&w=600&sz=55&hl=es&start=67&um=1&tbnid=J0oT_Bxb0Cv5xM:&tbnh=101&tbnw=135&prev=/images%3Fq%3DRhithrogena%26start%3D54%26ndsp%3D18%26um%3D1%26hl%3Des%26lr%3Dlang_es%26rlz%3D1T4HPEB_esES305ES305%26sa%3DN

Un saludo a todos Tana

Taxon

Site Editor
Plano, TX

Posts: 1311

Taxon on Feb 1, 2009February 1st, 2009, 6:24 am EST

Although the translation may be less than perfect,
this is (more or less) what Tana is saying
when translated to English:

Hello, I think it is not possible to identify an insect of its kind in this state,
has many different types of Rhithrogena could not really tell if any,
adult I recommend imitate Spain in color and size,
I find that you can replaced by the March Brown,
I read this:

Greetings,

Tana

Best regards,
Roger Rohrbeck
www.FlyfishingEntomology.com