Robber flies (Insecta: Diptera: Asilidae) of Wyoming, USA with keys to genera and species
Author
Lavigne, Robert J.
Author
Dennis, Steve
text
Zootaxa
2019
2019-08-30
4662
1
1
126
journal article
25823
10.11646/zootaxa.4662.1.1
7070ef91-15db-4b7e-a87d-72e7b0bdb192
1175-5326
3383448
366A1E81-946C-4ED4-8A65-C51151FE87CC
Ospriocerus abdominalis
(Say)
Dasypogon abdominalis
Say, 1823: 50
.
In
Lavigne & Dennis (2017)
this species was designated
O. aeacus
because
Fisher & Wilcox (1997)
indicated that
abdominalis
Say, 1824
was an invalid name and should be
O. aeacus
(
Wiedemann, 1828
)
. However, after careful review of literature we agree with
Coquillet (1898)
who was dealing with
Ospriocerus
and with
abdominalis
synonomy, and said that there was “...no necessity for replacing...”
abdominalis
with
aeacus
.
Recognition characters:
Black species; length
15–20 mm
; antennal style lacking; mystax black; thorax black; scutellar setae lacking; scutellar bristles black; wings dark brown; abdomen black with segments 3–6 orange dorsally; legs black.
Distribution:
ALBANY: Laramie,
22 June 1955
(
RJF
,
MSU
);
37 km
S of Laramie,
4 July 1973
(SD,
RJL
); Pole Mtn.,
10 July 1960
(
RJL
). BIGHORN: Lovell, WANG, LTA, 2001b (
CSU
,
GMAD
). CROOK: Sundance,
9 July 1980
(
RJL
); Sundance,
11 km
S,
10 July 1980
(
RJL
); Devils Tower NW, about
1,219 m
(
4,000 ft
),
1–13 July 1983
(Field Team Wyo.). FREMONT: near Lander,
1,524
–2,438
m
(
5,000
–8,000
ft
),
Aug. 1895
(
RM-UK
); Riverton,
1 km
NW,
16 June 1973
(SD). GOSHEN: Lingle,
14 June 1963
(
RJL
);
17 June 1964
(
MMG
). HOT SPRINGS: Owl Creek Mtns., Wing River Canyon, N end,
1,707 km
(
5,600 ft
),
24 June 1961
(
RJL
); Thermopolis, 2.3 km NW,
8 km
NW,
25 June 1980
(
RJL
). LARAMIE: Albin,
1 Aug. 1962
(
RJL
); Pine Bluffs,
18 June 1963
(
LJS
),
14 July 1966
,
8–14 July 1967
(
RJL
); LINCOLN: Cokeville,
25 June 1989
(
RJL
). NATRONA: Casper,
8 km
E,
18 July 1968
(
RJL
). NIOBRARA: Lusk,
29 June 1941
(
REP
); Manville,
13 Aug. 1947
(
DGD
); Mule Creek Jct., 8.4 km S,
9 July 1980
(
RJL
). Niobrara Co.,
1 June 1949
(
DGD
). PARK: Meeteetse,
24 km
SE,
25 June 1980
(
RJL
);
21 km
E of Cody,
26 June 1980
(
RJL
). PLATTE: Camp
Guernsey
, WANG, 2001a (
CSU
,
GMAD
); Cherry Creek, SE of Wheatland,
13 July 1966
(
RJL
); Chugwater,
31 Aug. 1951
; Dwyer, numerous records,
3 June–13-July
(
DRT
,
RJL
); Glendo,
21 June 1963
(
LJS
);
11 June 1964
(
REP
); Gray Rocks, Ranch, Camp
Guernsey
, WANG,
25 June 2008
(
CSU
,
GMAD
);
Guernsey
, numerous records,
22 June–3 Aug.
(
FRH
,
LJS
,
RJL
); Hartville,
14 June 1963
(
RJL
);
9 July 1964
(
FRH
,
RJL
); Hartville,
11 km
N,
13–14 July 1968
(
RJL
);
28 June 1972
(SD); Platte Co.,
12 July 1944
,
1 July 1951
(
REP
). SHERIDAN: Sheridan,
10 km
N,
10 June 1984
(
RJL
, DR); Sheridan,
10 km
N of
I-90
, Exit 16,
10 July 1984
(
RJL
,
DF
) (disturbed land). TETON: Jenny Lake,
July 1936
(
ESR
) (specimen in
CAS
). WASHAKIE:
21 km
S of Worland-Banks of Big Horn River,
26 May 1977
(
RJL
) (mated pair). Recorded from Wyoming by:
Adisoemarto (1967)
(Carbon and Jackson Counties);
Dennis
et al.
(2010)
;
Geller-Grimm (2018)
;
Lavigne & Dennis (1994)
.
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, grama-buffalo grass and wheatgrass-needlegrass grassland vegetation
types
. Open range short grass plains (rangeland) area at elevations from
1,310
–2,438
m
(
4,300
–8,000
ft
); short grass mountain meadows; one adult collected in alfalfa field.
Ethology:
Rests on and forages from ground, dead grass clumps, and vegetation, usually 7.5–
15 cm
above the ground.
Prey:
COLEOPTERA
,
Meloidae
:
Epicauta atropos
Pinto
,
Guernsey
,
6 July
8, 20, 1962.
COLEOPTERA
, HE- MIPTERA (Homoptera) (see
Dennis
et al.
2010
;
Lavigne & Dennis 1994
;
Rogers & Lavigne 1972
).