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Closeup insects from the Yakima River

Page:123
Ameletus vernalis (Brown Dun) Mayfly NymphAmeletus vernalis (Brown Dun) Mayfly Nymph View 9 PicturesI keyed this one out using the Alberta species key from Zloty & Pritchard 1997.

Notes from the ID include:

1. Posterior (Posterior: Toward the back of an organism's body. The phrase "posterior to" means "in back of.") margin of sternites (
One sternite of this Isonychia bicolor mayfly spinner is highlighted in red.
One sternite of this Isonychia bicolor mayfly spinner is highlighted in red.
Sternite: The bottom (ventral) part of a single segment on an insect's abdomen.
)
6-8 without spines
2. Mesal (Mesal: Toward the middle.) gill extension "well developed"
3. Basil third of caudal (Caudal: Toward the posterior tip of the body.) filaments pale
4. Anterior (Anterior: Toward the front of an organism's body. The phrase "anterior to" means "in front of.") surface of front femora (
The femur of this Isonychia bicolor mayfly spinner is highlighted in red.
The femur of this Isonychia bicolor mayfly spinner is highlighted in red.
Femur: The main segment of an insect's leg close to the body, in between the tibia and the trochanter.
)
mostly pale
5. Dark band on caudal (Caudal: Toward the posterior tip of the body.) filaments begins around segment 20
6. Final instars (Instar: Many invertebrates molt through dozens of progressively larger and better-developed stages as they grow. Each of these stages is known as an instar. Hard-bodied nymphs typically molt through more instars than soft-bodied larvae.) early season

This one keys out pretty cleanly to Ameletus vernalis except the color pattern on the tergites (
One tergite of this Isonychia bicolor mayfly spinner is highlighted in red.
One tergite of this Isonychia bicolor mayfly spinner is highlighted in red.
Tergite: The top (dorsal) part of a single segment on an insect's abdomen when it consists of a single chitinous plate (sclerite), or an individual sclerite if the segment has more than one.
)
doesn't match. However, two species known in Washington aren't included in the key. Of those two, Ameletus vancouverensis would be too small (adult body length 9 mm), but Ameletus andersoni (currently documented only from a spring in Cowlitz County) has a wide range of sizes and emergence times that could be compatible with this one. So I can't rule that species out, but Ameletus vernalis seems the most likely.
Collected April 9, 2021 from the Yakima River in Washington
Added to Troutnut.com by Troutnut on April 12, 2021
Pteronarcys californica (Giant Salmonfly) Stonefly NymphPteronarcys californica (Giant Salmonfly) Stonefly Nymph View 5 PicturesThis salmonfly nymph is probably not quite fully grown, as it still has a couple months yet to emerge.
Collected April 9, 2021 from the Yakima River in Washington
Added to Troutnut.com by Troutnut on April 12, 2021
Dixidae True Fly PupaDixidae  True Fly Pupa View 6 Pictures
Collected September 12, 2020 from the Yakima River in Washington
Added to Troutnut.com by Troutnut on September 19, 2020
Female Baetis tricaudatus (Blue-Winged Olive) Mayfly DunFemale Baetis tricaudatus (Blue-Winged Olive) Mayfly Dun View 6 PicturesThis one emerged from a nymph of this kind in my studio but got a bit waterlogged before I could pull it out to photograph.
Collected September 12, 2020 from the Yakima River in Washington
Added to Troutnut.com by Troutnut on September 19, 2020
Page:123

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