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3. Black & White Mayfly Nymph

I photographed this 1/4" nymph on a small mountain southeastern U.S. trout stream in April. What species is this?

Hi Higherroad-

Welcome to this site. That is a truly gorgeous photo. Although it might help if you identified it to the Southeastern state of origin, I suspect it to be a freshly molted nymph of Heptagenia marginalis.

This was in Northern Georgia.

How did you paint those little white bands so accurately on a little 1/4" long nymph. That is amazing.

White Out.

Oh, Cool! Thanks for sharing.

Wow! Stunning little may!

That sure is a pretty little creature!

Jonathon

Mack wrote;



That is probably one of the wisest comments you have ever made on this forum.

On the contrary, science views things like this as the spectacular, inevitable result of nature left to run its own course. Just like mathematical fractals produce patterns more intricate than any artist could dream up, natural selection reshapes organisms in more varied and impressive ways than any one being could imagine, let alone control. Nature needs no guiding hand to impress.

What a cool, cool photo! Thanks.

Beautiful. This looks to me like some freshly molted Rhithrogena that I've seen from the SE. The spots on the femora aren't as prominent as usual, but I think I can make them out.

Nice Higherroad! Thanks for posting this. It's definitely a new one for me.

I wonder what drove the development of such a pigment scheme? It has a story to tell.

There are several species out West noted for similar color schemes. Anecdotally, I've noticed they seem to inhabit the salt & pepper granitic substrate of many West Coast streams. There is one species of ephemerellid with virtually the same color scheme called Attenella delantala. The very distinctive marks had me stumped until Roger (Taxon) schooled me on it several years ago. I had never seen one before but they are supposedly fairly common out here.

Thanks, Kurt. Here's A.delantala:

http://www.flyfishingentomology.com/forum/Replies_Display.php?t=0024

Various Drunella species worldwide show that scheme, too. And actually several baetids show it, too, such as Plauditus cestus et al.

Yes, the D. grandis subspecies are good examples.

Reminds me of the very young larvae of giant swallow tail butterflies.

Google images of "larvae of giant swallowtail butterflies "

They mimic the poop of small birds as they crawl around on the foliage of their food. It does not seem that looking like bird poop would help these guys UNDERWATER, but it's a thought.

Weirder things have happened!