Terminology details, details, details. . .
In order to communicate about aquatic insects the names must be according to a defined set of rules. This is where "zoological classification" comes in . . . outlined below is a succinct overview of this process.
All animals are arranged into groups in various levels that form a hierarchy known as "taxonomic ranks."
"taxon" . . . a group of naturally related organisms designated by a name that may be used at any taxonomic rank
The name of a species consists of the name of the genus to which it belongs followed by its specific name, such as "Pteronarcys californica". (Being 2 parts, it is a "binomial" name.)
The
binomial name is unique to each insect. Other species of the same genera,
Pteronarcys, have this same "first name", but a different
specific name (e.g., Pteronarcys dorsata). Likewise, insects
of different genera may have the same specific name (e.g., Acronueria
californica.)
The major taxonomic ranks proceed
from higher, more inclusive, to lower, less inclusive . . .
Phylum
Class
Order
Suborder
Family
Subfamily
Genus
Species: the most basic unit of animal classification
Scientific names of taxa classified at certain higher ranks have consistent endings. e.g., animal families always end with the suffix, -idae (as in Chironomidae) and the names of subfamilies always end in -inae, (as in Diamesinae.)
Getting back to the "real world" of everyday fly fishing for a moment, the fundamentals we fly fishers should know about aquatic entomology, as they relate to the names of insects and the flies used to imitate them, is the essence of this course. It boils down to our ability to recognize ...
-
what insect is our quarry feeding on? . . . are they taking adult, winged, above-water insects? or underwater, immature "nymphs" (larva or pupa)?
-
what is the insect "order"? . . . i.e., is the insect a mayfly, a caddisfly, stonefly, etc.? (We don't need to know the "scientific name" of the order, just be able to recognize its members.)
-
then, we must select the fly that most closely resembles the natural insect the fish are feeding on by its size, shape, color and action.
All taxa must have internationally acceptable "scientific names" based on rules of nomenclature, commonly of Latin or Greek derivatives.
This course deals with "arthropods" which are animals in the Phylum "Arthropoda", among which are the group, "insects", which are recognized at the Class rank known as "Hexapoda".
