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TaxonApril 19th, 2007, 12:17 am
Site Editor
Royse City, TX

Posts: 1350		Okay, does anyone recognize this mayfly. I am guessing that it's a female subimago of genus Isonychia, but it sure has striking coloration.

Best regards,
Roger Rohrbeck
www.FlyfishingEntomology.com
TroutnutApril 19th, 2007, 8:13 am
Administrator
Bellevue, WA

Posts: 2737		I think you're right. I couldn't say what species it is, but I don't see any reason not to presume I. bicolor.

I'm also not 100% positive it's a female, since the rear end is pretty blurry. Males in Isonychia have unusually small eyes.
Jason Neuswanger, Ph.D.
Troutnut and salmonid ecologist
QuillgordonApril 19th, 2007, 10:46 am
Schuylkill County, PA.

Posts: 109		Taxon,
Aren't the legs a big key here.
Front legs ..... brown
Mid/rear legs ....... cream (white)

* Charles Wetzel called the female spinner the 'White-gloved Howdy'.

Q.g.
Flyfishing is a state of mind! .............. Q.g.

C/R........barbless
GONZOApril 19th, 2007, 11:20 am
Site Editor
"Bear Swamp," PA

Posts: 1681		Roger-
This certainly looks like Isonychia to me. There are several Iso species with a southern distribution, so I won't hazard a guess about species.

John-
The leg colors you mention are pretty typical of Isonychia. Wetzel's "white-gloved howdy" name referred to the white-tipped front legs of the bicolor female, held out as if awaiting a greeting handshake. (I love that name!)
QuillgordonApril 19th, 2007, 11:55 am
Schuylkill County, PA.

Posts: 109
John-
The leg colors you mention are pretty typical of Isonychia. Wetzel's "white-gloved howdy" name referred to the white-tipped front legs of the bicolor female, held out as if awaiting a greeting handshake. (I love that name!)


* female spinner only....... @ 'Matching the Hatch', E. Schwiebert Jr. (pg.71).

Right....... These guys from PA. were pretty smart, weren't they. ..... LOL........
Flyfishing is a state of mind! .............. Q.g.

C/R........barbless
TaxonApril 19th, 2007, 2:54 pm
Site Editor
Royse City, TX

Posts: 1350		Gonzo-

Roger-
This certainly looks like Isonychia to me. There are several Iso species with a southern distribution, so I won't hazard a guess about species.


Right. There are actually (6) Isonychia species known to be in Alabama, and of those, only I. bicolor is described in flyfishing entomology literature.


Best regards,
Roger Rohrbeck
www.FlyfishingEntomology.com
TaxonApril 19th, 2007, 3:11 pm
Site Editor
Royse City, TX

Posts: 1350		Jason-

I'm also not 100% positive it's a female, since the rear end is pretty blurry. Males in Isonychia have unusually small eyes.


Right. Aren't blurry rear ends just the pits! However, I believe the brownish blur is actually some basal cerci segments rather than claspers. Neither the fore legs nor eyes offered much help either. Actually, the character that caused me lean toward female, was the wing venation, which I believe to be more heavily stained in female than male Isonychia.
Best regards,
Roger Rohrbeck
www.FlyfishingEntomology.com

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