Proctacanthella leucopogon (Williston)

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 : 56-57

Proctacanthella leucopogon (Williston)

Asilus leucopogon Williston, 1893b: 75 .

Recognition characters: Brown species; length 15–16 mm; mystax white; thorax brown pollinose; scutellar setae and bristles white; wings hyaline; abdomen brown pollinose; male genitalia without white pencil of setae, legs similar to P. cacopiloga ; females can be separated on the basis that all setae on the underside of the first antennal segment are white in this species whereas in P. cacopiloga some are black; female P. leucopogon also have light colored setae/bristles dorsally on the hind tarsi ( P. cacopiloga have dark setae).

Distribution: BIG HORN: Lovell, WANG, LTA, 7 Aug. 2004 ( CSU, GMAD). CONVERSE: Glenrock, Dave Johnston Plant, 6, 13 July 1974 ( RJL). FREMONT: Lander, WANG, LTA, 8 Aug. 2004. GOSHEN: Fort Laramie, 24 July 1958 ( DRT); Goshen Co., 12 July1943 ( REP), 21 July 1944 ( REP); Torrington, 18 July 1960 ( DGF). LARAMIE: Pine Bluffs, 1 Aug. 1962 ( RJL), 3 July–3 Aug. 1963 ( LJS). NIOBRARA: 64 km N of Lusk, July 1895 ( RM-UK). PLATTE: Camp Guernsey, WANG, 2001b ( CSU, GMAD); Chugwater, 23 July 1952 ( REP); 24 July 1953 ( REP); Dwyer, numerous records, 23 June–17 Aug. ( RJL); Guernsey, numerous records, 6 July–1 Sept. ( RJL); Register Cliff, 15 July 1964 ( RJL); Guernsey State Park, 16 July 1964 ( RJL); Hartville, 17 Aug. 1963, 7 July 1964 ( RJL), 9 Aug. 1964 ( RJL); Platte Co., 2 Aug. 1945 ( REP); Wheatland, 5 Aug. 1964 ( RJL, FRH), 27 July–25 Aug, 1965 ( RJL), T25N R67W S27, 6 July 1974 ( RJL). WESTON: Newcastle, 11 km S, 11 July 1980 ( RJL). Recorded from Wyoming by: Dennis et al. (2010); Geller-Grimm (2018); Lavigne & Dennis (1994).

Habitat: Saltbrush-greasewood shrub, wheatgrass-needlegrass shrub steppe shrub and grassland, and gramaneedlegrass-wheatgrass, grama-buffalo grass and wheatgrass-needlegrass grassland vegetation types. Protected gullies both with and without pine cover on the short grass plains area; rangeland.

Ethology: Rests on and forages from soil and vegetation, depending on substrate temperature (see Rogers & Lavigne 1972).

Prey: DIPTERA , Culicidae : Aedes sp.; HEMIPTERA (Heteroptera) , Geocoridae : Geocoris pallens Stål , Guernsey State Park, 16 July 1964. HYMENOPTERA , Halictidae : Halictus sp. (two records) ( COLEOPTERA , DIPTERA , HEMIPTERA (Heteroptera, Homoptera) , HYMENOPTERA , ORTHOPTERA (see Dennis et al. 2010; Lavigne & Dennis 1994; Rogers & Lavigne 1972).