Stenopogon inquinatus Loew, 1866

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 : 110

Stenopogon inquinatus Loew

Stenopogon inquinatus Loew, 1866: 26 .

Recognition characters: Variable species ranging from all gray pollinose to individuals with most abdominal tergites orange; length 21–27 mm; mystax straw white; short bristles anteriorly on mesonotum reddish brown, long straw white bristles posteriorly, number of bristles long, straw white anteriorly, short and reddish brown posteriorly; metapleural bristles lacking; first posterior cell of wing open; abdominal tergites vary from all gray pollinose in some specimens to orange pollinose on others; femora of legs black with apices or dorsal surface reddish, tibiae reddish; genitalia of male orange sometimes fading into black basally, basistyle distinctively angular, the apical corner ventrally protruding and black, hypandrium triangular, undivided apically.

Distribution: ALBANY: Sherman Hill Estates, Laramie, 5 July 1973 ( SD). BIG HORN: Lovell, WANG, LTA, 1 June 2004 ( CSU, GMAD). CARBON: Bottle Creek Campground, Sierra Madre Mtns., 6 July 1963 ( RJL); Rawlins, 26 June 1920 ( MAC-AMNH). FREMONT: Lander, WANG, LTA, 2 June 2004 ( CSU, GMAD), 2 July 2005 ( CSU, GMAD); near Lander, 1,524 –2,438 m (5,000 –8,000 ft), July ( RM-UK); 1 km N of Riverton, 22 June 1973 ( SD); 16 km S of Shoshoni, numerous records, 3 June–11 July ( RJL, SD). GOSHEN: Lingle; 8– 11 July ( RJL); Torrington, 10 July 1965 ( MHB). HOT SPRINGS: Owl Creek Mtns., N end of Wind River Canyon, 1,768 m (5,800 ft), 24–25 June 1961 ( RJL). PLATTE: Dwyer, numerous records, 13 June–18 July ( RJL); Guernsey, 28 June 1961 ( RJL); 9 June 1964 ( LDH); Guernsey State Park, 16 July 1964 ( FRH, RLJ); Hartville, 19 June 1963 ( RJL); 9 July 1964 ( FRH); Laramie Peak, 17 July 1964 ( FRH, RJL); Wheatland, 24 June 1966 ( RJL). SWEETWATER: Burnt Fork. TETON: Cottonwood Campground, Snake River Canyon, 20 Aug. 1963 ( RJL); Herron Pond, Grand Teton National Park, 13 Aug. 1966 ( RJL); Jackson, 13–17 July 1920 (?- FDA); Jenny Lake Grove, Grand Teton National Park, 20–30 June 1941 ( GEB); Swan Lake, 6 Aug. 1966 ( RJL); W entrance of Targhee National For., 8 Aug. 1967 ( RJL). YELLOW- STONE NATIONAL PARK: Roosevelt Lodge, 1 July 1938 ( ECVD) (specimen in CAS); West Yellowstone, 3–4 Aug. 1965 ( MHB). Recorded from Wyoming by: Adisoemarto (1967) (Jackson, Rawlins, Rock Springs); Brown (1929) (Burnt Fork; as Stenopogon modestus ); Dennis & Lavigne (1975), (1976b) (pupal case), (2007); Dennis et al. (2008) (pupal case), (2009); Geller-Grimm (2018); Lavigne & Dennis (1994); Wilcox (1971).

Habitat: Saltbrush-greasewood shrub, sagebrush steppe and wheatgrass-needlegrass shrub steppe shrub and grassland, and grama-needlegrass-wheatgrass and grama-buffalo grass grassland vegetation types. Open rangeland, short- to mid-grass plains (see Dennis & Lavigne 1975).

Ethology: Forages from the ground until the surface temperature reaches approximately 39°C and then moves onto vegetation to forage (see Dennis & Lavigne 1975).

Prey: COLEOPTERA , DIPTERA , HEMIPTERA (Homoptera) , HYMENOPTERA , LEPIDOPTERA , OR- THOPTERA (see Dennis & Lavigne 1975, 2007; Dennis et al. 2009; Lavigne 1992; Lavigne & Dennis 1994).