Can You Identify This Aquatic Insect?

Mark Melton

Life of the Party
Bingo. In the interest of educating others, please share the clues that led you to each level of taxonomic identification.
Insecta - Body covered by exoskeleton, three pairs of jointed legs, three body parts, head, thorax, abdomen, generally with two pairs of wings.

Ephemeroptera - Aquatic insects that go through two body stages, a nymph that is wholly aquatic, and a winged adult that has two adult stages, subimago and imago.

Baetidae - Mayflies with a generally smaller body, small to nonexistent hind wings.

Anafroptilum - Also called hookwings because hind wings have an extension that is somewhat hooked.

conturbatum - Went to Anafroptilum on Bugguide and found this;

Adult (subimago) - Muted color, hair-like structures on edge of wings.

Female - Lacks male genitalia, turbinate eyes.
 

Matt B

RAMONES
Forum Supporter
Insecta - Body covered by exoskeleton, three pairs of jointed legs, three body parts, head, thorax, abdomen, generally with two pairs of wings.

Ephemeroptera - Aquatic insects that go through two body stages, a nymph that is wholly aquatic, and a winged adult that has two adult stages, subimago and imago.

Baetidae - Mayflies with a generally smaller body, small to nonexistent hind wings.

Anafroptilum - Also called hookwings because hind wings have an extension that is somewhat hooked.

conturbatum - Went to Anafroptilum on Bugguide and found this;

Adult (subimago) - Muted color, hair-like structures on edge of wings.

Female - Lacks male genitalia, turbinate eyes.
Could you please highlight what you see that registers as a somewhat hooked hind wing extension? Even with you typing it out and explaining, I fail to see it.
 

Norm Frechette

Googlemeister
Forum Supporter
2yoos3kdl5091.jpg


anybody know this one?

from bear creek, morrison colorado
 

tkww

Steelhead
I think it's in Heptagenioidea, and one of the "flat-headed" mayflies (Arthropleidae or Heptageniidae) beyond that, but I'm truly guessing here. My first reaction when I saw your pic was "Pale Evening Dun."
 

Mark Melton

Life of the Party
Hi Norm-

I suspect it to be Heptagenia elegantula, but am counting on Mark Melton to weigh in.
I think it may be Heptagenia elegantula as well, but can't rule out another heptageniid. The above nymph seems to have molted recently, and not being able to see the gills doesn't help either.
 
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