Backomyia seminoensis Lavigne, 1971

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 : 101

Backomyia seminoensis Lavigne

Backomyia seminoensis Lavigne, 1971: 337 .

Recognition characters: Grayish black species; length 7–8 mm; mystax of males white, females’ mystax entirely black with stouter bristles; thorax gray pollinose; scutellum grayish tomentose with fine white setae and 4 black marginal bristles; wings hyaline; abdomen black, anterior margins of segments 2–7 dorsally gray pollinose, with constrictions in middle on 2–5 and divided at middle on 6 and 7; legs black with white setae and bristles.

Distribution: CARBON: “ Backomyia seminoensis has been found only in the type locality in wind-protected gullies on a south slope of the eastern edge of the Seminoe Mountains” (see Lavigne 1971); paratype, male and female, Seminoe Mtns., 08 Nov. 1965 ( RJL) (specimens in CAS); paratype, male, Seminoe Mtns., 5 Oct. 1970 ( RJL) (specimen in CAS); paratype, female, Seminoe Mtns., 6 Oct. 1970 ( RJL) (specimen in CAS); holotype, male, Seminoe Mtns., 6 Oct. 1970 ( RJL) (specimen in USNM); 37 km N of Sinclair, 5 Oct.–8 Nov. ( RJL). Recorded from Wyoming by: Dennis et al. (2010); Fisher & Wilcox (1997); Geller-Grimm (2018); Lavigne (1971).

Habitat: Sagebrush steppe shrub and grassland vegetation type. Rangeland breaks.

Ethology: Rests on and forages from sand, small rocks, fallen logs, dead roots, and sticks. Mated pair, backside of Casper Mt., 17 May 1972 ( RJL), in the tail-to-tail position, 12 noon-sunny, soil surface temperature 21.1ºC (see Lavigne 1971).

Prey: All prey were collected in the Seminoe Mtns. DIPTERA , Sciaridae : Bradysia sp., 11 Nov. 1965 (two records); HEMIPTERA (Homoptera) , Cicadellidae : Empoasca sp., 6 Oct. 1970; Xerophloea peltata (Uhler) , 5, 6 Oct. 1970. DIPTERA , HEMIPTERA (Heteroptera, Homoptera) , HYMENOPTERA , NEUROPTERA (see Dennis et al. 2010; Lavigne 1971).