ID reddish brown clinger?

Otter

Steelhead
What is this little nymph? I’m guessing it may be a Western March Brown (Rhithrogena morrisoni), based on a photo in my guide book, “Hatches of British Columbia Trout Streams”, by Danie Erasmus. But Danie’s specimen is brown with just a slight reddish hue. Mine is very dark red. Maybe there are colour variations in this species.
We found it a couple of days ago in a southern Vancouver Island river, clinging to the underside of a rock, 6C water temp.
 

Attachments

  • 56DF3F30-8CED-4CAE-8710-CB20D3BAFDF5.jpeg
    56DF3F30-8CED-4CAE-8710-CB20D3BAFDF5.jpeg
    593.7 KB · Views: 31
  • C78F216B-C043-4787-B35E-7A630B6B0BB4.jpeg
    C78F216B-C043-4787-B35E-7A630B6B0BB4.jpeg
    625.1 KB · Views: 30

Mark Melton

Life of the Party
There are reddish variations of Rhithrogena nymphs. They're fairly common in this area (Northern California). Here are some pictures of Rhithrogena nymphs taken at the Russian River. In this area about 1 in 20 nymphs have the reddish coloration.

0152.jpegTh

0153.jpeg

0154.jpeg


0155.jpeg
 
Top