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Mayfly Family Heptageniidae (March Browns, Cahills, Quill Gordons)

Taxonomic Navigation -?-
» Family Heptageniidae (March Browns, Cahills, Quill Gordons)
Genus in HeptageniidaeNumber of SpecimensNumber of Pictures
CinygmaWestern Light Cahills12
CinygmulaDark Red Quills1478
EcdyonurusWestern Ginger Quills11
EpeorusLittle Maryatts40214
Heptagenia627
Ironodes13
Leucrocuta951
MaccaffertiumMarch Browns and Cahills59273
Nixe113
Rhithrogena1648
StenacronLight Cahills848
Stenonema16

4 genera aren't included.
Common Name
MatchCommon Name
****March Browns, Cahills, Quill Gordons
Pictures Below ↓
Known as the "clinger" mayflies to anglers, a few species of this family can be extremely prolific, with a lot more that aren't. These lesser species account for many of the curious mayflies you find that never seem to associate with a major hatch, let alone a fishable one. Not all heptageniid species are so scarce though; there are superhatches too.

Heptageniids can be broken into "groups" of similar genera (based on angling concerns) to help keep track of them. Although many of them are closely related, they are not officially divided in this way by entomologists. Here are the groups:

Former Stenonema (blotchy wings)


The genus Stenonema, who's Latin name was one of the first etched in the minds of anglers has now been relegated to the minor leagues containing only one species of importance Stenonema femoratum, one of several Lt. Cahills. Its former species of angling legend are now split between the newer genera Maccaffertium and Stenacron. These include the March Brown (prev. S. vicarium) and Gray Fox (prev. S. fuscum) superhatches, further condensed into the one species Maccaffertium vicarium.
The current and former Stenonema species are for all practical purposes limited to the East and Midwest.

Former Heptagenia (plain wings)


While Heptagenia has held on to more species than Stenonema, many of its fishable hatches have been moved to the new genera Leucrocuta, Nixe, and Ecdyonurus. There are many former Heptagenia species across the continent, but few are important to anglers and of those, more are in the West than in the East.

Epeorus (two-tailed Nymphs, plain wings)


The closely related genera Epeorus and Ironodes are among the only mayflies to have just two tails as nymphs. Good populations can be found in the West, but it's in the East where the mayfly named after the man that brought the dry fly to America can be found, the superhatch Epeorus pleuralis or Quill Gordon.

Rhithrogena (suction cup gills)


The genus Rhithrogena can be identified by the gills of its nymphs. They extend below the abdomen in the front and the back and form a suction cup which helps the nymph cling to rocks. They are very important for early season anglers in the West, but not very often in the East. For western anglers, it's duns are the blotchy winged equivalent of the East's old Stenonema group.

Cinygmula (horn heads)


The genus Cinygmula is easily distinguished by the nymph's enlarged palpi (mouth parts) that stick out from both sides of their heads like little blunt horns. They rarely produce fishable hatches, and none are of much significance except for a few species, mostly in certain locales of the West.

Hatching Behavior


Time Of Day (?): Usually midday moving towards evening as the season progresses

Habitat: Fast water rapids and riffles over stony substrata; The margins also during emergence cycle

Many heptageniid mayflies emerge from their nymphal shucks (
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Here's an underwater view of the pupal shucks of several already-emerged Brachycentrus numerosus caddisflies.
Here's an underwater view of the pupal shucks of several already-emerged Brachycentrus numerosus caddisflies.
Shuck: The shed exoskeleton left over when an insect molts into its next stage or instar. Most often it describes the last nymphal or pupal skin exited during emergence into a winged adult.) on the stream bottom or during their rise to the surface. Others hatch in the surface film. Others still migrate to the shallow margins and use any of the three ways. All of this may depend on habitat and current conditions as much as differences between species. Read about the species you need to match for more details, but there is no substitute for astute observation streamside.

Nymph Biology


The Heptageniidae family contains the angler's "clinger" type mayfly nymphs commonly referred to as "Flat Heads" by entomologists. They sport flattened profiles, blunted broad heads, and stout legs suitable for life in fast water. Their flattened tear drop shape is a "miracle" of nature's hydrodynamic engineering employing the same principles used by Formula One race cars to hug the road and reduce wind resistance.

Pictures of 164 Mayfly Specimens in the Family Heptageniidae:

Specimen Page:1234...18
Male Epeorus pleuralis (Quill Gordon) Mayfly DunMale Epeorus pleuralis (Quill Gordon) Mayfly Dun View 9 PicturesI kept this specimen after photographing it and it molted into a spinner in perfect condition, which I photographed here.
Collected April 30, 2007 from Dresserville Creek in New York
Added to Troutnut.com by Troutnut on May 3, 2007
Maccaffertium mediopunctatum (Cream Cahill) Mayfly NymphMaccaffertium mediopunctatum (Cream Cahill) Mayfly Nymph View 9 PicturesThis specimen seems to be of the same species as a dun I photographed which emerged from another nymph in the same sample.
Collected May 29, 2007 from Paradise Creek in Pennsylvania
Added to Troutnut.com by Troutnut on June 4, 2007
Female Epeorus vitreus (Sulphur) Mayfly DunFemale Epeorus vitreus (Sulphur) Mayfly Dun View 6 Pictures
Collected May 28, 2005 from the Namekagon River in Wisconsin
Added to Troutnut.com by Troutnut on May 24, 2006
Specimen Page:1234...18

9 Streamside Pictures of Heptageniidae Mayflies:

Streamside Photo Page:12
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This is Troutnut.com's first picture of a springtail, a type of six-legged, non-insect arthropod. It's riding on the surface film under the mayfly's left tail. In this picture: Arthropod Class Collembola (Springtails), True Fly Family Chironomidae (Midges), and Mayfly Family Heptageniidae (March Browns, Cahills, Quill Gordons). From the Kuparuk River in Alaska.
This is Troutnut.com's first picture of a springtail, a type of six-legged, non-insect arthropod. It's riding on the surface film under the mayfly's left tail.

In this picture: Arthropod Class Collembola (Springtails), True Fly Family Chironomidae (Midges), and Mayfly Family Heptageniidae (March Browns, Cahills, Quill Gordons).
StateAlaska
LocationKuparuk River
Date TakenSep 4, 2007
Date AddedApr 22, 2011
AuthorTroutnut
CameraPENTAX Optio WPi
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In this picture: Mayfly Family Heptageniidae (March Browns, Cahills, Quill Gordons). From the Kuparuk River in Alaska.


In this picture: Mayfly Family Heptageniidae (March Browns, Cahills, Quill Gordons).
StateAlaska
LocationKuparuk River
Date TakenSep 4, 2007
Date AddedApr 22, 2011
AuthorTroutnut
CameraPENTAX Optio WPi
View Full SizeView Full Size and Comment (2X larger)
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In this picture: Mayfly Family Heptageniidae (March Browns, Cahills, Quill Gordons). From the Kuparuk River in Alaska.


In this picture: Mayfly Family Heptageniidae (March Browns, Cahills, Quill Gordons).
StateAlaska
LocationKuparuk River
Date TakenSep 4, 2007
Date AddedApr 22, 2011
AuthorTroutnut
CameraPENTAX Optio WPi
Streamside Photo Page:12

11 Underwater Pictures of Heptageniidae Mayflies:

Underwater Photo Page:12
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In this picture: Mayfly Family Baetidae (Blue-Winged Olives), Mayfly Genus Epeorus (Little Maryatts), and Insect Order Trichoptera (Caddisflies). From Mongaup Creek in New York.


In this picture: Mayfly Family Baetidae (Blue-Winged Olives), Mayfly Genus Epeorus (Little Maryatts), and Insect Order Trichoptera (Caddisflies).
StateNew York
LocationMongaup Creek
Date TakenApr 19, 2006
Date AddedApr 22, 2006
AuthorTroutnut
CameraPENTAX Optio WPi
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In this picture: Mayfly Genus Epeorus (Little Maryatts) and Mayfly Family Baetidae (Blue-Winged Olives). From Mongaup Creek in New York.


In this picture: Mayfly Genus Epeorus (Little Maryatts) and Mayfly Family Baetidae (Blue-Winged Olives).
StateNew York
LocationMongaup Creek
Date TakenApr 19, 2006
Date AddedApr 22, 2006
AuthorTroutnut
CameraPENTAX Optio WPi
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In this picture: Mayfly Genus Epeorus (Little Maryatts) and Mayfly Family Baetidae (Blue-Winged Olives). From Mongaup Creek in New York.


In this picture: Mayfly Genus Epeorus (Little Maryatts) and Mayfly Family Baetidae (Blue-Winged Olives).
StateNew York
LocationMongaup Creek
Date TakenApr 19, 2006
Date AddedApr 22, 2006
AuthorTroutnut
CameraPENTAX Optio WPi
Underwater Photo Page:12

Recent Discussions of Heptageniidae

Red Heptagenia? 30 Replies »
Posted by GONZO on Jul 19, 2011 in the genus Cinygmula
Last reply on Jul 24, 2011 by PaulRoberts
The gills and protruding mouthparts make me think that this might be Cinygmula. I've seen red phase Rhithrogena nymphs, but have never seen this coloration in Cinygmula (or Heptagenia).
ReplyCinygma mayflies 2 Replies »
Posted by Bnewell on Jul 15, 2011 in the genus Cinygma
Last reply on Jul 20, 2011 by Entoman
Perhaps one reason Cinygma mayflies do not create much interest for fishermen is because of their habit. They seem to prefer these small headwater streams, often streams without trout.
Reply2 tails or 3 1 Reply »
Posted by Snagy on Feb 5, 2010 in the species Maccaffertium vicarium
Last reply on Feb 6, 2010 by Taxon
I notice that while the dun, nymph, and spinner photos on the page are all listed as March Brown (maccaffertium vicarium). While the coloration patterns all seem to follow other March Browns I have seen, I notice that the winged flies pictures all have 2 tails, but the nymphs in the photos have 3. I was under the impression this species was a 2 tailed mayfly. Is the nymph mislabelled?
Reply Heptageniidae Family breakup ??? 14 Replies »
Posted by Quillgordon on Mar 21, 2009
Last reply on Mar 24, 2009 by GONZO
Looking at a recent photo of a possible 'march brown' nymph; this question came to mind!
What factors were involved in the making of the 'maccaffertium/stenacron/stenonema genera?
Can someone give me a link (general explanation, if possible) to explain the distinction of the insect in question.
Qg.
ReplyAdded more Heptagenia culacantha info 9 Replies »
Posted by Troutnut on Dec 19, 2006 in the species Heptagenia culacantha
Last reply on Jun 11, 2008 by GONZO
I went to the entomology library today and photocopied the 1985 paper that first described this curious species. I've updated the culacantha page with this information.
Reply
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