Cyrtopogon auratus Cole, 1919

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 : 64

Cyrtopogon auratus Cole

Cyrtopogon auratus Cole, 1919: 230 .

Recognition characters: Black and yellow species; length 10–14 mm; third antennal segment orange; mystax yellow above black below, thorax gray pollinose with two conspicuous brown pollinose spots dorsally; scutellar setae black; wings tinged with brown, darkened along veins; macrotrichia of costal vein black; abdomen black, tergites 2–4 covered with dense golden yellow pile in males, much less conspicuous in females, fifth tergite of male with short black setae; legs, femora black, tibiae and tarsi yellow to red, apex of tibiae ringed with black, except fore tibiae of males.

Distribution: SUBLETTE: Mulligan Park, Bridger National For., 6 Aug. 1968 ( RJL); 16 km S of Pinedale, 13 Aug. 1967 ( WAN); 63 km SE Boulder/Dutch Joe Guard Sta., 29 June 1978 ( RJL). TETON: Grassy Lake, Targhee National For., 5–12 Aug. 1966, 13 Aug. 1967 ( RJL); Jenny Lake, Grand Teton National Park, 4 July 1941 ( CPA); Lake Solitude, Grand Teton National Park, 2,751 m (9,024 ft), 7 July 1960 ( AE, JGE); Moran Canyon, Grand Teton National Park, 2,134 –2,286 m (7,000 –7,500 ft), Aug. 4, 1966 ( RJL); Taggart Lake, Trail, Grand Teton National Park, 7 July 1960 ( AE, JGE); Targhee National For., 7–11 Aug. 1967 ( WP); Togwotee Pass, Teton National For., 22 Aug. 1946 ( CPA). YELLOWSTONE NATIONAL PARK: 24 July 1930 (?- FDA); 27 July 1930 ( DKF-AMNH) (see Lavigne 1970a); 44°17’N 110°36E / 20 July–12 Aug. 1989: lodgepole forest/E slope (no coll.). Recorded from Wyoming by: Adisoemarto (1967) ( YNP, Madison Junction, Cascades Y.R., Sylvan Pass); Cannings (1994); Cole (1969); Curran (1924) [Yellowstone National Park, Cascades Y.R., 22 July 1923 (A. L. Melander) (as Cyrtopogon albitarsis )]; Dennis & Lavigne (2007); Fisher & Wilcox (1997); Geller-Grimm (2018); Lavigne (1970a); Martin & Wilcox (1965); Wilcox & Martin (1936) [Sylvan Pass, Yellowstone Park, 18 June 1930 (E. C. Van Dyke)].

Habitat: Douglas fir forest (clearings within the forest where shrubs and grasses are dominant), and sagebrush steppe shrub and grassland vegetation types. Open glades in mixed coniferous forests.

Ethology: Rests on and forages from sunlit areas on tree trunks and logs; courtship (see Lavigne 1970a).

Prey: All records were collected on 6 Aug. 1968 at Mulligan Park, Bridger National For., except as noted. DIP- TERA, Anthomyiidae : Hylemya platura (Meigen) ; Empididae : Platypalpus venaticus Melander ; Muscidae : Phaonia sp.; Quadrularia punctata Stein ; Sciaridae : Bradysia sp.; HYMENOPTERA , Braconidae : Meteorus leviventris (Wesm.) ; Pteromalidae : Lamprotatus sp. DIPTERA , HEMIPTERA (Heteroptera, Homoptera) , HYMENOPTERA , LEPIDOPTERA , NEUROPTERA, TRICHOPTERA (see Dennis & Lavigne 2007; Lavigne 1970a).