Key to the genera of the Nearctic Asilidae

Keys Comparison Catalogue Terminology Notes

Apocleinae
Asilinae
Dasypogoninae
Dioctriinae
Laphriinae
Laphystiinae
Leptogastrinae
Ommatiinae
Stenopogoninae
Stichopogoninae
Trigonomiminae

Key to the genera of the Nearctic Asilinae

Asilinae

References: Artigas, J.N. & Papavero, N. (1997): The American genera of Asilidae (Diptera): Keys for identification with an atlas of female spermathecae and other morphological details. IX.1. Subfamily Asilinae Leach (including Apocleinae Lehr): Key to generic group. - Arquivos de Zoologia do Estado de Sao Paulo 34(2): 57-63; Sao Paulo. Martin, C.H. (1975): The generic and specific characters of four old and six new Asilini genera in the western United States, mexico and Central America (Diptera: Asilidae). - Occasional Papers of the California Academy of Sciences 119: 1-107; San Francisco.

Remarks: The following key is provisional and a revision is necessary.

	Face with shiny spot in the middle and only eye margins tomentose . . . . . Rhadiurgus Loew, 1849 [= Nigrasilus Hine, 1908]
	Face completely covered with pubescence or only with a very narrow shiny longitudinal stripe.

	Wings opaque yellowish. Body and legs yellowish . . . . . Asilus Linnaeus, 1758
	Other combination of characters.

	Apical tarsal segment of foreleg with two strong bristles projecting over basal third or less of tarsal claws. Wings opaque, subhyaline along posterior veins. Tergites 8 of female pollinose . . . . . Wyliea Martin, 1975
	Apical tarsal segment of foreleg without strong bristles projecting over tarsal claws. Wings hyaline to opaque. Tergite 8 of female either polished or pollinose.

	Inside surface of epandrium with a patch of several to many erect spines on the apical half or less . . . . . Polacantha Martin, 1975
	Inside surface of epandrium without a patch of erect spines on apical half, but with bristles along mesal margin of epandrium.

	Aedeagal sheath bifurcate. Facial gibbosity weak . . . . . Dicropaltum Martin, 1975
	Aedeagal sheath single or triple-tuped. Facial gibbosity weak to strong.

	Postocular bristles (occipital bristles) long and sharply, bent anteriorly in right-angled medially. At least two last segments anterior to ovipositor shiny black . . . . . Neoitamus Osten Sacken, 1878
	Postocular bristles (occipital bristles) either weakly bent or straight. Two last segments anterior to ovipositor tomentose.

	Ovipositor with erect spines . . . . . Philonicus Loew, 1849
	Ovipositor otherwise.

	Apex of epandrium notched apically on rounded apex. Aedeagal sheath a large single tube with 1 - 3 microtubes apically. Facial gibbosity restricted to lower third of face . . . . . Neomochtherus Osten Sacken, 1878
	Apex of epandrium without a notch, or at most with an emargination. Aedeagal sheath 3-tubed. Facial gibbosity well-developed or restricted to lower third of face.

	Tergites 2 - 3 laterally with only short recumbent bristles. Style about 1/4 as long as postpedicel . . . . . Negasilus Curran, 1934
	Tergites 2 - 3 laterally with a few to a patch of hairs longer than the short recumbent bristles. Style usually longer.

	Bristles laterally on incisures long, weak. Long, erect, weak bristles along mesal margin of epandrium, which is narrow. Body usually pale brownish . . . . . Prolatiforceps Martin, 1975
	Bristles laterally on incisures strong, short. Short, semirecumbent strong bristles along mesal margin of epandrium, which is broad. Usually greyish black or reddish brown species . . . . . Machimus Loew, 1849 & Tolmerus Loew, 1849