Pogoniofferia varipes (Williston)

Lavigne, Robert J. & Dennis, Steve, 2019, Robber flies (Insecta: Diptera: Asilidae) of Wyoming, USA with keys to genera and species, Zootaxa 4662 (1), pp. 1-126 : 44

Pogoniofferia varipes (Williston)

Erax varipes Williston, 1885: 71 .

Recognition characters: Blackish gray species; length 22–28 mm; mystax white; mesonotal setae black, bristles mostly yellowish in males and white in females; postpronotal setae yellowish; meral bristles yellowish; scutellar setae and bristles white; in males abdominal segments white pollinose, dorsum 1–6 brown, setae white, long on sides and apically on 1-3 but coarse and sparse, venter white pollinose with bare streak at middle of 2–6, setae short white; male genitalia enlarged and expanded laterally, brown; legs femora black to reddish black, posterior side of femora red or with red stripe; tibiae black.

Distribution: PLATTE: Camp Guernsey, WANG, 2001b, ( CSU, GMAD); 11 km N of Wheatland, numerous records, 23–31 July 1974 ( RJL, SD). Recorded from Wyoming by: Dennis & Lavigne (1976c) (as Efferia varipes ); Dennis et al. (2010) (as Efferia varipes ); Geller-Grimm (2018).

Habitat: Grama-needlegrass-wheatgrass grassland vegetation type. Short- to mid-grassland, rangeland (see Dennis & Lavigne 1976a).

Ethology: Forages from both the ground and vegetation depending on the temperature of the ground surface (see Dennis & Lavigne 1976a as Efferia varipes ).

Prey: DIPTERA , Asilidae : Leptogaster arenicolus James 1937 , Wheatland, 29 July 1974 ( RJL) (prey of female Efferia varipes , 2: 42 p. m.). COLEOPTERA , DIPTERA , HEMIPTERA (Heteroptera, Homoptera) , HYME- NOPTERA, LEPIDOPTERA , ORTHOPTERA (see Dennis & Lavigne 1976a; Dennis et al. 2010, both as Efferia varipes ).