Stonefly - Perlesta nitida

Moved

Moved from Perlesta.

… tom murray, 6 July, 2009 - 4:27pm

Perlesta nitida

Although I can't see "the fully everted aedeagus with dorsal caecum" [first couplet of the key] your three males fit all characteristics of P. nitida quite well (as Lloyd noted), which was described from Holliston MA. I have to wonder if that very lightly freckled larva is the larva of this species.
I hadn't noticed before the row of setae on all femora, which is indeed a nice character for separating Perlesta from Isoperla.

… Donald S. Chandler, 4 July, 2009 - 8:31am

Thanks Lloyd

I never noticed the long bristles on the front leg. Now to see if the keys allow Don to get these to species.

… tom murray, 21 June, 2009 - 12:10pm

Best guess--P. nitida

Although this is an increasingly difficult genus to bring to species, your specimens fit the description of nitida very well. Banks originally described this species from specimens collected in MA, CT, and NH.

… Lloyd Gonzales, 21 June, 2009 - 12:38pm

P. nitida

That sounds like a good possibility. I won't jump the gun and move it until the specimen gets to Don. It'll be good getting it to species, since we don't have any Perlesta in the guide past genus.

… tom murray, 21 June, 2009 - 1:00pm

I look forward

to seeing it. I hope it is a male, or.... catch more.

… Donald S. Chandler, 22 June, 2009 - 9:34pm

Hopefully a male

I caught 4 of them, and 1 was 12 mm, a female I hope, and 3 smaller at 9mm, males I hope.

… tom murray, 22 June, 2009 - 10:56pm

Good idea

This genus has grown like topsy recently; at one time almost all of them were considered to be forms of P. placida.

… Lloyd Gonzales, 21 June, 2009 - 1:04pm

Perlesta (Perlidae)

Superb photos, Tom. The closeup clearly shows the long bristles along the front of the femur. As far as I know, these are not found in Isoperla, which is the perlodid genus most often confused with these small perlids.

… Lloyd Gonzales, 21 June, 2009 - 11:48am