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barrytheguide

Identification please

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This was is a large fly with a body length of about one inch. The color was a drab brown and they were hatching around the margins. This took place last week on the Lower Klamath in Northern California

Your hel in identifying this dun would be very much appreciated.

Cheers

post-46416-0-26441700-1475989728_thumb.jpg

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Based on the body size, the Hexagenia are about the only 2 tailed mayfly that is an inch long. Of those the limbata are shown as existing in the west. The wings both in vein pattern and comparative size, do match the description. The body color is a bit dark, but that may be a local adaptation which is common in many mayfly species.

 

Now that you have a sample, its easily matched, no matter what the name. Fish don't read the menu, they just eat.

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Based on the body size, the Hexagenia are about the only 2 tailed mayfly that is an inch long. Of those the limbata are shown as existing in the west. The wings both in vein pattern and comparative size, do match the description. The body color is a bit dark, but that may be a local adaptation which is common in many mayfly species.

 

Now that you have a sample, its easily matched, no matter what the name. Fish don't read the menu, they just eat.

Thanks, that's what I thought, but other Hex Duns I've seen are really yellow, but as you say maybe a local adaptation.

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Hi Jaydub-

 

Yes, I believe this male imago to be Isonychia velma. Incidentally, the link to my website can't be used that way, but I assume you were attempting to display the following:

 

Family name: Isonychiidae

Scientific name: Isonychia velma

 

Previously know as:

Common name: Dun Variant, Great Western Leadwing, Leadwing Coachman

Locality: W

CAN Regions:

MEX Regions:

USA Regions: NW

Cent. Amer. Countries:

CAN Provinces:

MEX States:

USA States: *01:CA, OR.*03:OR*10:CA, OR*13:CA

Habitat:

Voltinism:

Emergence (begin) date: Jun

Emergence (end) date: Oct

Emergence time of day:

Spinner fall time of day:

 

Nymph minimum length: 13 mm.

Nymph maximum length: 19 mm.

Nymph identification keys: thin lighter dorsal stripe on mid-line of head, thorax, and abdomen; thin longituninal dorsal dash on each abdominal segment on each side of mid-line

Nymph body description: claret to reddish brown

Nymph legs:

Nymph gills: grayish brown

Nymph tusks:

Nymph tails: 3,

 

Dun minimum length: 14 mm.

Dun maximum length: 18 mm.

Dun identification keys:

Dun body description: dark reddish brown to dark slate gray

Dun wings: dark gray, large hind wings

Dun legs: front dark brown tipped w/cream tarsi, rear cream, 4-segmented hind tarsi

Dun tails: 2, pale dun

 

Spinner minimum length: 11 mm.

Spinner maximum length: 21 mm.

Spinner identification keys:

Spinner body description: thorax blackish gray, abdomen dark gray

Spinner wings: hyaline, forewing venation dark brown, series of veinlets connecting CuA and rear margin

Spinner legs: front gray, rear cream to yellow, fore tibia reddish, hind tarsi 4-segmented

Spinner tails: 2, medium gray

 

Created: 05/02/2009 Last modified: 04/09/2016 www.FlyfishingEntomology.com

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Hi Jaydub-

 

Yes, I believe this male imago to be Isonychia velma. Incidentally, the link to my website can't be used that way, but I assume you were attempting to display the following:

 

Family name: Isonychiidae

Scientific name: Isonychia velma

 

Previously know as:

Common name: Dun Variant, Great Western Leadwing, Leadwing Coachman

Locality: W

CAN Regions:

MEX Regions:

USA Regions: NW

Cent. Amer. Countries:

CAN Provinces:

MEX States:

USA States: *01:CA, OR.*03:OR*10:CA, OR*13:CA

Habitat:

Voltinism:

Emergence (begin) date: Jun

Emergence (end) date: Oct

Emergence time of day:

Spinner fall time of day:

 

Nymph minimum length: 13 mm.

Nymph maximum length: 19 mm.

Nymph identification keys: thin lighter dorsal stripe on mid-line of head, thorax, and abdomen; thin longituninal dorsal dash on each abdominal segment on each side of mid-line

Nymph body description: claret to reddish brown

Nymph legs:

Nymph gills: grayish brown

Nymph tusks:

Nymph tails: 3,

 

Dun minimum length: 14 mm.

Dun maximum length: 18 mm.

Dun identification keys:

Dun body description: dark reddish brown to dark slate gray

Dun wings: dark gray, large hind wings

Dun legs: front dark brown tipped w/cream tarsi, rear cream, 4-segmented hind tarsi

Dun tails: 2, pale dun

 

Spinner minimum length: 11 mm.

Spinner maximum length: 21 mm.

Spinner identification keys:

Spinner body description: thorax blackish gray, abdomen dark gray

Spinner wings: hyaline, forewing venation dark brown, series of veinlets connecting CuA and rear margin

Spinner legs: front gray, rear cream to yellow, fore tibia reddish, hind tarsi 4-segmented

Spinner tails: 2, medium gray

 

Created: 05/02/2009 Last modified: 04/09/2016 www.FlyfishingEntomology.com

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I don't think it's a Leadwing for a couple of reasons, first of all the wings were not dark at all, they were transparent except for the veins and the size was much bigger than 18 mm. The body was at least 25 mm. So it's more likely to be a Hexiginia

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I don't think it's a Leadwing for a couple of reasons, first of all the wings were not dark at all, they were transparent except for the veins and the size was much bigger than 18 mm. The body was at least 25 mm. So it's more likely to be a Hexiginia

 

Hi Barry-

 

The wings are (mostly) transparent because it's an imago, which is referred to by most flyfishers as a spinner. With regard to body length, which is measured from the front of the head to the end of the abdomen, and does not include the tails, the customary maximum length for an Isonychia velma female imago (which I believe it to be) is 21 mm, but the customary maximum length occasionally gets exceeded.

 

For purpose of comparison, here is another Isonychia spinner:

 

IsonychiaSpinner.jpg

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I agree it does look like a Isonychia spinner. My "estimate" of body length of 25 mm does not include the two tails. It looked identical to the flies I saw emerging in the shollows that's way I assumed it to be a dun. But I'll go with you. I'll see if I can find a fish and game entomologist for the area and see what they think

Thanks to those who are polite, this forum seems to be full of those who cannot be wrong.

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