Family Asilidae 



KEY TO SUBFAMILIES AND TRIBES OF ASILIDAE 



1. Palpus of 1 segment 2 



Palpus of 2 segments (with sometimes the vestiges of a 

 third segment) 10 



2. Marginal cell closed 5 



Marginal cell open 3 



3. Alula absent Leptogastrinae 



Alula present 4 



4. Third antennal segment spindle-shaped, with apical micro- 



segment; fourth posterior cell generally open or closed in 

 the margin; the anterior medial mesonotum extends into 

 the pronotum. Females with terminal spines (Neolaparus 



Williston) Dastpogoninae 



Third antennal segment elavate, with only apical pit; 

 fourth posterior cell generally, if not always, closed and 

 stalked; anterior medial mesonotum not extended into 

 pronotum (Senobasis Macquart) .... Megapodinae 



5. Terminal segment of antenna bears a long, slender, arista- 



form style, with or without minute, intermediate microseg- 



ments (Asilinae) 9 



Terminal segment without a long, slender style .... 6 



6. Foretibial apex with a strongly developed protuberance and 



spine; anterior basitarsus with a stout flange; dorsal and 

 ventral components of male terminalia united at base. 



Megapodinae 

 Foretibial apex with simple bristles only 7 



7. Males with 8 tergites. Females with abdomen elongate, 



tapering, attenuate, rarely broad and flattened ... 8 

 Males with 7 tergites. Females without ovipositorial 

 spines. Flies with blunt claws, form short and robust or 

 with elongate, subclavate abdomen and long legs. 



Ctenotini 



8. Third antennal segment very long and slender, with short 



bristle bearing microsegment; females without ovipositorial 

 spines {Glaphyropyga Schiner, Chilesus Bromley, Lyeomya 



Bigot) Asilinae 



Third antennal segment short,dilated or widened subapically, 

 without a short, slender style. Female acanthophorites 

 with a prominent circlet of several pairs of stout, sharp 

 spines Enigmomorphini 



9. Style of antenna plumose Ommatini 



Style of antenna simple Asilini 



10. Marginal cell closed and petiolate, or closed in the margin 



of the costa 11 



Marginal cell open (Dasypogoninae) 15 



11. Anterior tarsal apex with spine (Dasypogoninae). 



Thereutrini 

 Anterior tarsal apex simple 12 



12. Marginal cell with a distinct and well developed stalk 



or petiole and never with the second vein recurrent 



(Laphriinae) 13 



Marginal cell without a petiole, or if a very short petiole is 

 present the second vein is strongly recurrent (Dasypogo- 

 ninae) Laphystini 



13. Postmetacoxal area chitinized; or if rarely unchitinized 



(Paratractia, new genus) a dorsal, antennal spine is 



present Atomosini 



Postmetacoxal area membranous 14 



14. Palpal end segment cylindroid. Proboscis usually laterally 



compressed, never flattened dorsoventrally . . Laphriini 



End segment of palpus hemicylindroid and excavated 

 Proboscis usually compressed dorsoventrally, at least at 

 apex; never flattened laterally .... Andrenosomini 



15. Notopleuron with a stout spine .... Chrysopogonini 

 Notopleuron with bristles only 16 



16. Lateral slopes of metasternum without pile. Vertex ex- 



panded and usually greatly widened. Second palpa 

 segment usually small, cylindrical, with few hairs or none. 

 Apex generally truncate. With few exceptions small or 



even minute flies Stichopogonini 



Lateral slopes of metasternum with pile 17 



17. Palpus very large, the second segment exceptionally long 



and bristly. Anterior branch of third vein near its 

 base with a spur vein. Large and often extremely large 



flies Phellini 



Palpus small, often minute. Anterior branch of third vein 

 very rarely with a subbasal spur. Small to medium size 

 flies, more rarely large 18 



18. Head exceptionally wide and short, unflattened on anterior 



aspect; vertex low, leaving a "goggle-eyed" aspect. Small 



or at most medium size flies Damalini 



Head of normal length and width 19 



19. Males 20 



Females 23 



20. Tergites distinctly limited to six; lateral tergal margins often 



with stout bristles Laphystini 



More than 6 tergites developed, or if only six (Nicocles 

 Jaennicke) the last two are greatly flattened with dense, 

 silvery micropubescence 21 



21. Eighth tergite developed and a vestige of the antepenulti- 



mate palpal segment usually present. Antennal segments 

 4 to 6 in number. Terminalia usually not or only partly 

 rotate. Gonopods and lateral apices of the sulcate 

 epandrium often with long, lobe-like processes. Dorsal 

 pronotum with fine pile or bristly hairs. Occiput without 

 strong bristles. Apex of anterior tibia never with spine. 



Dioctrini 

 Eighth tergite usually limited to a trace. Only 2 tarsal 

 segments present. Antennal segments 3 and 4 often with 

 apical spine. Terminalia usually rotate, except in Steno- 

 pogon Loew and allies. Dorsal pronotum and occiput 

 generally with strongly differentiated bristles .... 22 



22. Anterior tibia never with spine at apex . Stenopogonini 

 Anterior tibia always with spine at apex . . Dasypoqonini 



23. Terminalia with a quarter-circlet of spines on each acantho- 



phorite. These spines sometimes small, obscure and re- 

 cessed (Brachyrrhopala Macquart, Cabaza (Walker) . 24 

 No spines present on female terminalia 25 



24. Anterior tibia never with spine present at apex. 



Stenopogonini 

 Anterior tibia always with spine at apex . . Dasypogonini 



25. Prosternal sclerites free from the pronotum. Lateral 



epistomal creases continued to the rear of the occiput. 

 Tergites, except the first, never with differentiated bristles. 



Dioctrini 

 Prosternum fused to the pronotum. Lateral epistomal 

 creases closed behind, tending to leave a pit anteriorly. 

 Tergite with or without strong bristles laterally. 



Laphystini 



25 



