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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Some characteristics from the microscope images for the tentative species id: The postero-lateral projections are found only on segment 9, not segment 8. Based on the key in Jacobus et al. (2014), it appears to key to Neoleptophlebia adoptiva or Neoleptophlebia heteronea, same as this specimen with pretty different abdominal markings. However, distinguishing between those calls for comparing the lengths of the second and third segment of the labial palp, and this one (like the other one) only seems to have two segments. So I'm stuck on them both. It's likely that the fact that they're immature nymphs stymies identification in some important way.
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Millcreek on Apr 6, 2016April 6th, 2016, 10:45 am EDT
The genus was determined using 'An Introduction to the Aquatic Insects of North America' by Merritt, Cummins and Berg (2008). The species was undetermined because of the lack of a key for the western nymphs. Most were found along the edge of the river, where the current was slow. The substrate was mostly sand and small gravel with fine silt and organic matter. They range in size from 6- 8 mm (excluding cerci).
These were found in the Russian River. They were found in an area that I had sampled many times before over four years and hadn't found any. I have found them in many small streams that feed into the Russian but this is the first time I have actually found them in the Russian.
They appear to be a separate species as well, given that they have white spots on the head and the abdominal terga are different. The others can be seen here http://www.troutnut.com/topic/9046/Ameletus-and-Paraleptophlebia and here http://www.troutnut.com/topic/8596/Paraleptophlebia-helena#41842
These were found in the Russian River. They were found in an area that I had sampled many times before over four years and hadn't found any. I have found them in many small streams that feed into the Russian but this is the first time I have actually found them in the Russian.
They appear to be a separate species as well, given that they have white spots on the head and the abdominal terga are different. The others can be seen here http://www.troutnut.com/topic/9046/Ameletus-and-Paraleptophlebia and here http://www.troutnut.com/topic/8596/Paraleptophlebia-helena#41842
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