Pogonioefferia benedicti (Bromley)

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 : 38-39

Pogonioefferia benedicti (Bromley)

Erax benedicti Bromley, 1940: 15 .

Recognition characters: Silver and gray species; length 16–18 mm; mystax white; bristles and setae of mesonotum largely black, very short anteriorly, long white setae posteriorly; postpronotal setae white, in particular along margins; meral bristles white in both sexes; scutellar setae and bristles white; in males abdominal segments 2 apically and 3–7 silvery white pollinose with long white setae on tergites 2–5 parted in the middle and directed outward sternite 8 produced apically with long white setae; legs black, basal half of tibiae brown. Can be differentiated from P. pallidula on the basis of the structure of the male basistyle that is gently curved subapically in P. benedicti ; whereas, in P. pallidula it is abruptly right angled subapically.

Distribution: BIG HORN: Lovell, WANG, LTA, 4 Aug. 2004 ( CSU, GMAD); Plateau S of airport, Greybull, 16 June 1966 ( RJL). FREMONT: Gas Hills Rd., 37 km E of Riverton, 17 July 1962 ( RJL), 14–17 July ( RJL, FRH); Poison Creek, S of Shoshoni, 25 June 1964 ( RJL, FRH); 16 km S of Shoshoni, 21 June–3 July 1965 ( FRH); Shoshoni, 23 June 1964 ( RJL, FRH) (specimen in NMSCA); Shoshoni, 27 June 1980 ( RJL) (two specimens deposited in the NMSCA). GOSHEN: Smith Ranch, N of Lingle, 15 July 1964 ( RJL). Recorded from Wyoming by: Dennis & Lavigne (1975, 1976 b, 2007); Dennis et al. (2009, 2010); Lavigne et al. (1976) (all as Efferia benedicti ).

Habitat: Saltbrush-greasewood shrub, sagebrush steppe and wheatgrass-needlegrass shrub steppe shrub and grassland, and grama-buffalo grass grassland vegetation types.

Open rangeland, big sagebrush ( Artemisia tridentata Nutt. ) and blue grama grass [ Bouteloua gracilis (Wild. ex Kunth) Lag. ex Griffiths ] communities. Ethology: Rests on and forages from soil (see Lavigne et al. 1976 as Efferia benedicti ). Prey: COLEOPTERA , DIPTERA , HEMIPTERA (Heteroptera, Homoptera) , HYMENOPTERA , LEPIDOP- TERA, NEUROPTERA, ORTHOPTERA (see Dennis & Lavigne 2007; Dennis et al. 2010; Lavigne et al. 1976, all as Efferia benedicti ).