Proctacanthella cacopiloga (Hine)

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

Proctacanthella cacopiloga (Hine)

Asilus cacopilogus Hine, 1909: 165 .

Recognition characters: Brown species; length 15–16 mm; mystax white; thorax gray pollinose laterally and brown pollinose dorsally; scutellar setae and bristles white; wings hyaline; abdomen brownish gray pollinose, male genitalia with pencil of white setae; legs reddish brown anterior side of fore femora and apical three fourths of middle and hind femora black, apex of tibiae black, setae and bristles of legs white.

Distribution: CONVERSE: Glenrock, Dave Johnston Plant, 13 June 1974 ( RJL), 13, 17 July 1974 ( RJL). FREMONT: near Lander, 1,524 –2,438 m (5,000 –8,000 ft), July 1895 ( RM-UK) Poison Creek, Shoshoni, 14 July 1964 ( FRH, RJL). GOSHEN: 20 July 1950 ( DGD); Torrington, 18 July 1960 ( DGF); 18 Aug. 1949 ( DGD). HOT SPRINGS: Thermopolis 20 km N, 14 Aug. 1975. NIOBRARA: 13 July 1952 ( REP). PLATTE: Camp Guernsey, WANG, 2001b, ( CSU, GMAD); Gray Rocks Ranch, Camp Guernsey, WANG, 14 July–5 Aug. 2008 ( CSU, GMAD); Hartville, 9–17 July 1963 ( RJL); 11 km N of Hartville, 15 July 1968 ( RJL); Dwyer, numerous records, 1 July–19 Aug. ( RJL); Oregon Trail Park, Guernsey, 6 July 1972 ( SD); Register Cliff, Guernsey, numerous records, 1 July–2 Sept. ( FRH, RJL, SD); Wheatland, 28 June 1972 ( SD), 18 July 1963 ( RJL), 30 July 1974 ( SD), 18 Aug. 1964 ( FRH, RJL). Recorded from Wyoming by: Adisoemarto (1967) (Lance Creek, 1 July–2 Sept.); Dennis & Lavigne (1975, 1976b) (pupal case); Dennis et al. (2008) (pupal case), (2009, 2010); Geller-Grimm (2018); Lavigne & Dennis (1994); Lavigne & Holland (1969) [as prey of Diogmites angustipennis and Pogonioefferia helenae (as Efferia helenae )].

Habitat: Sagebrush steppe and wheatgrass-needlegrass shrub steppe shrub and grassland, and grama-needlegrass-wheatgrass and grama-buffalo grass grassland vegetation types. Protected gullies both with and without pine cover and sandy, dry areas on the short- to mid-grass plains, rangeland (see Dennis & Lavigne 1975).

Ethology: Forages both from the ground and vegetation (see Dennis & Lavigne 1975).

Prey: ARANEAE, COLEOPTERA , DIPTERA , HEMIPTERA (Heteroptera, Homoptera) , HYMENOPTERA , LEPIDOPTERA , ORTHOPTERA , TRICHOPTERA, (see Dennis & Lavigne 1975; Dennis et al. 2009, 2010; Lavigne & Dennis 1994; Rogers & Lavigne 1972).