Darth Vaders

Mayflies

Caddisflies

Stoneflies

Scientific Name

Match	Scientific Name
	Teloganopsis deficiens

This common name refers to only one species.

Mayfly Species Teloganopsis deficiens

These are often called Darth Vaders.

Anglers in western Wisconsin, where these little flies hatch in good numbers on summer rivers, have termed them "Darth Vaders" because of the very dark color of their wings.

Until recently, this species was known as Serratella deficiens.

Teloganopsis deficiens (Little Black Quill) Mayfly Nymph

View 6 PicturesThis nymph has tiny, barely detectable tubercles (

A few (not all) of the abdominal tubercles on this Ephemerella needhami nymph are circled. They are especially large in this species.

Tubercle: Various peculiar little bumps or projections on an insect. Their character is important for the identification of many kinds of insects, such as the nymphs of Ephemerellidae mayflies.) on its abdominal segments, and I could not find the maxillary palpi. I have tentatively guessed that it is Serratella deficiens.

Collected June 9, 2005 from in
Added to Troutnut.com by on May 26, 2006

Jargon Defined:

Nymph: The juvenile, underwater stages of mayflies, stoneflies, dragonflies, and damselflies and other aquatic insects whose juvenile stages are covered by hard exoskeletons. The word can also refer to the fishing flies which imitate these creatures, in which case it is used as a blanket term for flies imitating any underwater stage of an invertebrate (except for crayfish and leeches).

A few (not all) of the abdominal tubercles on this Ephemerella needhami nymph are circled. They are especially large in this species.

Tubercles: Various peculiar little bumps or projections on an insect. Their character is important for the identification of many kinds of insects, such as the nymphs of Ephemerellidae mayflies.