Scleropogon coyote (Bromley)

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 : 105-106

Scleropogon coyote (Bromley)

Stenopogon coyote Bromley, 1931b: 429 .

Recognition characters: Yellowish gray species; length 15–21 mm; mystax straw white; setae and bristles of mesonotum straw white, humeral callus with stout bristles and few short bristles posteriorly; metapleural bristles stout straw white; first posterior cell of wing closed and petiolate or narrowly open; abdominal segments yellowish gray pollinose; genitalia of male orange, surstyli pointed, hypandrium bilobed. Can be differentiated from S. picticornis that has lateral stripes on the sides of at least abdominal segments 2–5 and from Stenopogon graminis that has the first posterior cell of wing open and is much larger and more robust.

Distribution: ALBANY: Centennial, 19 July–30 Aug. 1960 ( RJL); Abbott Ranch, W of Laramie, 26 July 1966 ( RJL); 18 km on Rte. 34 from Rte. 30/crossing, Albany County., 5 km S on dirt road, 10 July 1978 ( RJL); near Laramie, 14 km from Rte. 287 on dirt road along Laramie River flood plain, 11 July 1978 ( SWB). BIG HORN: Greybull, 16 June 1966 ( RJL); Lovell, WANG, LTA, 1 July 2005 ( CSU, GMAD). CARBON: 24 km S of Creston Jct., 25 June 1978 ( RJL); 80 km S of Creston Jct./Robbers Roost Conservation Area, 25 June 1978 ( RJL); Muddy Creek Rte. 77, 25 km SE of Jct. 487, 17 July 1984 ( RJL) (female with male as prey). CONVERSE: Dave Johnston Power Pl. Station 11, Glenrock, 7 July 1973 ( RJL); Dave Johnston Power Pl. Station 13, Glenrock, 7 July 1973 ( RJL); Dave Johnston Power Pl. Station 12, Glenrock, 24 July 1973, 19 August 1973 (mated pair) ( RJL). FREMONT: holotype, male, near Lander, 1,524 -2,438 m (5,000 –8,000 ft), July ( RM) OSU ( OS, CATIC); allotype, female, near Lander, 1,524 –2,438 m (5,000 –8,000 ft), July ( RM); Lander, WANG, LTA, 29 June 2004 ( CSU, GMAD), 2 July 2005 ( CSU, GMAD), 8 Aug. 2004 ( CSU, GMAD); 1 km NW of Riverton, 13 June1972 ( SD); Riverton, 27 June 1969 ( RJL) (specimen in CAS). GOSHEN: Lingle, 11 July 1963, 16 July 1964 ( LJS); West Laramie, 30 June 1960 ( RJL). HOT SPRINGS: 11 km NW of Thermopolis, 25 June 1980 ( RJL): JOHNSON: 6 km W of Buffalo, along Clear Cr., 25 June 1980 ( RJL). NIOBRARA: Paratypes, two males, 64 km N of Lusk, July 1895; four females, 64 km N of Lusk, 6 July 1895; Lusk, 26 July 1946 ( DGD); Manville, 31 July 1947 ( DGD); Niobrara Co., 3 Aug. 1943 ( REP); 31 Aug. 1949 ( DGD). PARK: 13.5 km NE of Meeteetse, 25 June 1980 ( RJL); Cody, 3.7 km NW of Jct. Rte. 120 and 7WC, 11 July 1984 ( RJL, DF) (rangeland). PLATTE: 10 July 1981, Osborn 36-1 ( REP); Dwyer, numerous records, 29 June–3 Sept. ( RJL); Glendo, 26 Aug. 1964 ( RJL) (specimen in NMSCA); Guernsey, numerous records, 27 June–31 Aug. ( RJL); Guernsey, 13 July 1962 ( RJL) (specimen in NMSCA); Hartville, 17 July 1963 ( LJS), 9 July 1964 ( RJL); Laramie Peak, 17 July 1964 ( RJL, FRH); Wheatland, 27 July 1965 ( FRH); 43 km N of Wheatland, 18 July 1972 ( SD). SHERIDAN: Sheridan 10 km W of I-90 Exit 16, 19 July 84 ( RJL, DF) (disturbed land); 22.5 km N Sheridan, 17 July 1979 ( NER). SWEETWATER: 55 km N of Rock Springs, 27 June 1978 ( RJL); NE of Farson, 28 July 1978 ( RJL); Jim Bridger/Mine, T20N R101W, 16 Aug. 1978 ( RJL): 7.4 km NE of Farson, 11 Aug. 1981 ( RJL). TETON: Jackson, 14 Aug. 1964 ( RJL). Recorded from Wyoming by: Adisoemarto (1967) (Lander); Bromley, 1931b (Type series, Lander, 64 km north of Lusk, July; as Stenopogon coyote ); Cole (1969) (as Stenopogon coyote ); Dennis & Lavigne (1975) (as prey of Stenopogon inquinatus ); Fisher & Wilcox (1997); Geller-Grimm (2018); Lavigne (1963a) (as Stenopogon coyote ), (1964) (as Stenopogon coyote ; prey of Pogonioefferia helenae (as Efferia bicaudata ), (1992); Lavigne & Holland (1969) (as Stenopogon coyote ; as prey of Pogonioefferia pallidula (as Efferia pallidula ), Pogonioefferia staminea (as Efferia staminea ); Lavigne & Pfadt (1964, 1966) (both as Stenopogon coyote ); Lavigne et al. (1994); Martin & Wilcox (1965) (as Stenopogon coyote ); Wilcox (1971).

Habitat: Saltbrush-greasewood shrub, sagebrush steppe and wheatgrass-needlegrass shrub steppe shrub and grassland, and grama-needlegrass-wheatgrass, grama-buffalo grass and wheatgrass-needlegrass grassland vegetation types. Open rangeland, blue grama ( Bouteloua gracilis ), threadleaf sedge ( Carex filafolia ) vegetation types; Rests on and forages from grass mat, soil, and cowpats (see Lavigne 1963a; Lavigne & Pfadt 1966, both as Stenopogon coyote ).

Ethology: Forages from the ground, dead twigs on the ground, cowpats, and grass 2.5– 5 cm above the ground (see Lavigne 1963a).

Prey: COLEOPTERA , DIPTERA , ORTHOPTERA (see Lavigne 1963a, 1992; Lavigne and Pfadt 1966).