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Perlesta
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Perlesta nitida
Photo#291559
Copyright © 2009
tom murray
Stonefly -
Perlesta nitida
-
Shirley, Middlesex County, Massachusetts, USA
June 20, 2009
Size: 9mm to wingtip
Caught in a sweep net in vegetation along the bank of the Nashua River.
Images of this individual:
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Contributed by
tom murray
on 21 June, 2009 - 10:50am
Last updated 14 March, 2025 - 2:38pm
Moved
Moved from
Perlesta
.
…
tom murray
, 6 July, 2009 - 4:27pm
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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
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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
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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
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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
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I look forward
to seeing it. I hope it is a male, or.... catch more.
…
Donald S. Chandler
, 22 June, 2009 - 9:34pm
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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
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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
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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
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