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I agree, but there ia a lot of stuff still on them making it hard to see. Taxon might have some better insight.

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I agree, but there ia a lot of stuff still on them making it hard to see. Taxon might have some better insight.

Redwings1-

 

Thanks for the vote of confidence. I’ll share with you what I see in the one (somewhat revealing) photo, and make a WAG.

 

Starting from the left of the photo: three tails, middle tail marginally shorter, but could have been broken off; abdominal segment 10 darker, abdominal segments 9 & 8 lighter, abdominal segments 7 on darker; (what I suspect are) large plate-like gills on abdominal segments (perhaps) 7-2 or 7-1; obviously developed wing pads, but not yet darkened, as they would be in a mature nymph, which was almost ready to emerge; legs that are fairly long, not particularly broad, but obviously marked; a head approximately the same width as thorax, but perhaps marginally wider.

 

Although I was able to make the above observations, I would have more confidence in them, and would have been able to make others, had nymph been fully submerged when photographed. Most of the body appendages, particularly gills and antennae stick to the body when not fully submerged, and seriously handicap accurate identification.

 

Do I have a suspicion what it might be? Sure, Siphlonurus, but that may well be incorrect, perhaps not even close. However, the more useful information that I’m attempting to share with you, is some of the things to look for in the nymphal form. Hope you found this useful.

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Siphlonurus is a Gray Drake isn't it Taxon? or no? :unsure:

Steve-

 

It is indeed, as are also: Adams, Brown Quill Spinner, Dark Olive Dun, Eastern Brown Quill, Great Summer Drake, Green Egg Spinner, Large Summer Olive, Little Dark Olive, Little Medium Olive, Medium Summer Olive, Western Brown Quill, Western Gray Drake, Western Yellow Drake, Yellow Drake, and probably some others that I have yet to encounter.

 

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awesome...thx Taxon and everyone, i will try to get some better pictures this week but it has been raining all week and everything is overflowed and the streams are real muddy but i will see what i can do...thx!

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The first and third nymphs look like Ephemerella and Serratella (Ephemeroptera: Ephemerellidae), respectively. Differentiating them, among other characters, is easily made by the fine setae on the cerci (Ephemerella) or just with coarse setae (Seratella). In an entomology class, we used to call a lot of the ephemerellids the "ella sisters," as many of names of commonly collected genera end in "ella." The nymph in the middle (second) picture seems like Stenonema (Ephemeroptera: Heptageniidae). Stenacron/Stenonema nymphs can be recognized by the 7th abdominal segment gill being reduced to a narrow filament, different in shape than the preceeding gills. Stenacron nymphs have the gills with an apical point, whereas Stenonema nymphs are either rounded or truncate.

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The first and third nymphs look like Ephemerella and Serratella (Ephemeroptera: Ephemerellidae), respectively. Differentiating them, among other characters, is easily made by the fine setae on the cerci (Ephemerella) or just with coarse setae (Seratella). In an entomology class, we used to call a lot of the ephemerellids the "ella sisters," as many of names of commonly collected genera end in "ella." The nymph in the middle (second) picture seems like Stenonema (Ephemeroptera: Heptageniidae). Stenacron/Stenonema nymphs can be recognized by the 7th abdominal segment gill being reduced to a narrow filament, different in shape than the preceeding gills. Stenacron nymphs have the gills with an apical point, whereas Stenonema nymphs are either rounded or truncate.

 

Totally agree with Ethan on this one. The two smaller nymphs are most likely of the genus Ephemerella, but possibly different species. Its hard to tell since they're covered in silt. The larger nymph is of the family Heptageniidae, most likely genus Stenonema though it could be Stenocron. A quick way to ID many Stenonema to the species level is to look under the abdomen. The presence/absence and variation of black bars, spots or other markings on the abdomen differ between species.

 

All three nymphs live as clingers, and prefer clean rocky riffles in both cold and warmwater streams. I have found both genera in 1st to 5th order streams. You mostly find Stenonema on the undersides of rocks, while Ephemerella seems to prefer the tops and sides.

 

Depending on the species, Ephemerella adults can be grouped as PMDs, Hendricksons, and Sulphurs.

Stenonema adults can be grouped as March Browns, Cahills and Quill Gordons, again depending on species.

 

For keying aquatic insects and researching life cycles, I would pick up a copy of Aquatic Insects of North America by Merritt and Cummins.

 

I'm sure I sound like a complete bug geek but hey, I've got to put my Aquatics degree to use somehow right? :D

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