Scleropogon picticornis (Loew)

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 : 107

Scleropogon picticornis (Loew)

Stenopogon picticornis Loew, 1866: 25 .

Recognition characters: Brownish species; length 20–25 mm; mystax straw white; bristles and setae of mesonotum straw white, postpronotal bristles stout, straw white, long anteriorly short posteriorly; metapleural bristles straw white; first posterior cell of wing closed and petiolate; abdominal tergites brown pollinose except for lateral black stripes without pollen; genitalia orange, bilobed. Easily separated from all other Scleropogon species found in Wyoming by the lateral stripes on the abdominal tergites.

Distribution: BIGHORN: Lovell, WANG, LTA, 2001a ( CSU, GMAD). CAMPBELL: Gillette, 46 km W, 6 Aug. 1980 ( RJL). CARBON: Savery, 2 Sept. 1959 ( WDF). CONVERSE: Bill, 10 km N, 13 Aug. 1984 ( RJL). CROOK: Devils Tower, J. Driskill Ranch, 7 Aug. 1984 ( RJL); Sundance, 9 Sept. 1959 ( WDF); Devils Tower National Monument, 1,829 m (6,000 ft), 16–18 Aug. 1983 ( CWF); Devils Tower National Monument, 1,829 m (6,000 ft), 28 July 1984 (Field Team). FREMONT: Lander, WANG, LTA, 2001a ( CSU, GMAD), 2 July 2005 ( CSU, GMAD), 8 Aug. 2004 ( CSU, GMAD). LARAMIE: Pine Bluffs, 19 July 1963 ( LJS). NATRONA: Midwest, 15.7 km S, Aug. 4, 1980 ( RJL). NIOBRARA: Lance Creek, 14 Aug. 1895. PLATTE: 25 July 1985 /Fred Block 3 Rep ( REP) (mated pair); Camp Guernsey, WANG, 2001b ( CSU, GMAD); Dwyer, 3 Aug. 1960 ( RJL), 4 Sept. 1964 ( RJL, REP); 23 Aug. 1963 ( LJS); Gray Rocks Ranch, Camp Guernsey, WANG, 25 June–5 Sept. 2008 ( CSU, GMAD); Guernsey, numerous records, 29 July–6 Sept. ( RJL); Laramie Peak, Laramie Mtns., 2 Aug–3 Sept. 1964 ( FRH, RJL); Wheatland, 2 Sept. 1965 ( FRH); 43.5 km N, 2, 18 Aug. 1972 ( SD). SHERIDAN: Acme, 10 Aug. 1974 [with prey, grasshopper, probably Aulocara elliotti (Thomas) ]; Sheridan, WANG, LTA, 16–17 July 2006 ( CSU, GMAD); 10 km E of Sheridan, 5 Aug. 1980 ( RJL). WESTON: Newcastle, 21 km S, 12 Aug. 1982 ( RJL, JLL); Upton, 12 km NW, 6 Aug. 1980 ( RJL). Recorded from Wyoming by: Back (1909) (as Stenopogon (Scleropogon) picticornis ); Fisher & Wilcox (1997); Geller-Grimm (2018); Lavigne (1992); Lavigne & Holland (1969); Wilcox (1971).

Habitat: Pine-douglas fir forest (clearings within the forest where shrubs and grasses are dominant), saltbrushgreasewood shrub, sagebrush-steppe and wheatgrass-needlegrass shrub steppe shrub and grassland, and gramaneedlegrass-wheatgrass and wheatgrass-needlegrass grassland vegetation types. Collected in blue grama ( Bouteloua gracilis ), needle and thread grass [ Hesperostipa (Stipa) (Trin. & Rupr.) Barkworth ssp. comate ], and threadleaf sedge ( Carex filifolia ) vegetation and in mountain mahogany ( Cercocarpus montanus Raf. ) and western wheatgrass [ Pascopyrum (Agropyron) smithii (Rybd.) A. Love ] vegetation; rangeland.

Ethology: Rests on and forages from ground and grass mat (see Lavigne & Holland 1969, as Stenopogon picticornis ).

Prey: MANTODEA , Mantidae : Litaneutria minor (Scudder) . Pawnee National Grasslands, Nunn. Colo., 25 Aug, 1971. ORTHOPTERA , Acrididae : unidentified, 45 km N of Wheatland, 2 Aug. 1972. COLEOPTERA , DIP- TERA, HEMIPTERA (Homoptera) , ORTHOPTERA [see Lavigne 1992; Lavigne & Dennis 1994; Lavigne & Holland 1969; Lavigne and Pfadt 1966 (as Stenopogon picticornis ); Rogers & Lavigne 1972].