Elmore Branch

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Elmore Branch
Basin:	Lamoille River
State or Province:	Vermont
Country:	USA
School:	Hazen Union High School

The following are the most common invertebrates collected from this stream site.

Baetis

Order

Ephemeroptera

Family

Baetidae

Genus

Baetis

Common name

The Little Olive

Tied fly

Sawyer Pheasant Tail Nymph

This mayfly has three "tails" and a unique head shape. Its gills are oval shaped and insert dorsally. More mature nymphs have long, dark wing pads.

Image of the long, dark wing pads.

Chironomidae

Order

Diptera

Family

Chironomidae

Common name

Nonbiting midge

Tied fly

Griffith's Gnat

Midge larvae tend to be the most common macroinvertebrate at our sites. As with other Diptera, there are no true jointed legs. Chironomidae do have a pair of prolegs at each end and preserved individuals tend to curl into a 'C'. Identification past family requires slide-mounted heads. We have seen philopotamid caddisflies misidentified with the chironomids and we suspect that that happens when samples are being sorted from trays. Under a microscope, six prominent legs can be seen on members of the caddisfly family Philopotamidae.

More information on Philopotamidae.

Chimarra

Order

Trichoptera

Family

Philopotamidae

Genus

Chimarra

Chimarra are distinguished from the other Philopotamidae by a prominent asymmetrical notch in the frontoclypeus as well as a prominent process on the femur which bears a single hair (seta).

Images of the asymmetrical notch and prominent process.

Ceratopsyche

Order

Trichoptera

Family

Hydropsychidae

Genus

Ceratopsyche

Ceratopsyche has a forked foretrochantin. The foretrochantin is the projection at the uppermost portion of the foreleg. The leg may need to be pulled away from the body to expose this feature. Ceratopsyche have a large pair of sclerites underneath the prosternum. Note: the large single sclerite is the prosternal plate. Biologists have gone back and forth between lumping this genus into Hydropsyche and splitting it back out. ITIS currently lists it as a genus (Feb 2013) but we are aware of a recent paper that lumped it under Hydropsyche.

Isonychia

Order

Ephemeroptera

Family

Isonychiidae

Genus

Isonychia

Common name

The Dun Variant

Tied fly

Flick's Dun Variant

This mayfly has unique long hairs on its forelegs as the main distinguishing characteristic (allowing anyone keying to move through quickly). Carefully observe the limbs because such hair can be matted down and therefore hidden in preserved wet specimens. The body of Isonychia is slim and "minnow-like" when observed dorsally. In specimens we collected, they were commonly brown and substantial in length and width as compared to the very common Baetidae.

Even when individuals are immature, closer inspection can reveal the setae on the forelegs.

Image of the long hair on its forelegs.

Hydropsychidae

Order

Trichoptera (caddisfly)

Family

Hydropsychidae

Common name

net spinning caddisfly

Tied fly

Emergent Sparkle Pupa, Vermont Hare's Ear

This family of net-spinning caddisflies is very abundant at several sites. They are important filtering collectors and are quite common at urban and agricultural sites where particles of organic material can be important food resources. Genus-level identification is possible for mature specimens and we will include the genera we found at your site if possible.

When using the key, some features that are challenging to see are the forked trochantin and the paired sclerites in the folds between segments. Other, more easily seen key features include filamentous gills on the abdominal segments and the sclerotization of the dorsal surfaces of all three thoracic segments. Keep in mind that with smaller or more immature specimens, genus-level ID may not be possible.

Commonly found genera include Cheumatopsyche, Ceratopsyche, and Hydropsyche. Less commonly, we have found Arctopsyche and Potamyia.

Images of the forked trochantin and the paired sclerites.

Stenelmis

Order

Coleoptera

Family

Elmidae

Genus

Stenelmis

The larvae of Stenelmis, as in Ordobrevia, have a sternum on the ventral side of the pronotum. The main difference between the two genera is in the antennae the second segment is less than twice as long as the first in Stenelmis.

The adult Stenelmis has a clear separation between the thorax and abdomen as well as a more distinctly separate head as compared to other genera.

Click here to see pictures of the sternum and antennae-

Dolophilodes

Order

Trichoptera

Family

Philopotamidae

Genus

Dolophilodes

Dolophilodes stands out in the Philopotamidae family due to its slightly asymmetrical frontoclypeus on the anterior margin and its distinguishable projecting foretrochantin.

Images of the slightly asymmetrical frontoclypeus, and the projecting foretrochantin.

Pedicia

Order

Diptera

Family

Tipulidae

Genus

Pedicia

Creeping welts or broad tubercles are found on this Tipulidae. No spiracles are present, but the surface may appear roughened under the microscope.

Images of the creeping welts, seemingly roughened exterior, a tail view, and ventral view.

Epeorus

Order

Ephemeroptera

Family

Heptageniidae

Genus

Epeorus

Common name

The Quill Gordon

Tied fly

Quill Gordon

This is the only Heptageniidae genus present in this area with two tails!