Asilidae, Latreille, 1802

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 : 30-31

Family Asilidae

Subfamilies found in Wyoming: Asilinae, Brachyrhopalinae , Dasypogoninae , Dioctriinae , Laphriinae , Leptogastrinae , Stenopogoninae , Stichopogoninae , Trigonomiminae , and Willistonininae

Key to Subfamilies [adapted from Artigas & Papavero (1988); Dikow (2009b)]

1 Abdominal tergite 1 five or more times as long as wide; alula (axillary lobe of authors) reduced in size or lacking ( Fig. 2A ), and pulvilli lacking; abdominal sternite 1 extending about halfway back under tergite 2........... Leptogastrinae Schiner, 1862

- Abdominal tergite 1 no more than four times as long as wide; usually both alula ( Fig. 2B, C, D ) and pulvilli present, although alula maybe reduced in size ( Fig. 2D ); abdominal sternite 1 confined to area beneath tergite 1......................... 2

2 Fore tibiae with an apical spur; one of the spines at the apex of the ventral side of the fore tibiae differentiated, enlarged and stouter than remaining spines, or if not noticeably larger, twisted and sigmoid; prosternum dissociated by a membranous area from proepisternum................................................................................... 3

- Fore tibiae without an apical spur; all apical spines on fore tibiae straight, or if one is slightly curved then it is not thickened or sigmoid; prosternum either dissociated from proepisternum or fused to it......................................... 4

3 Proximal prothoracic, mesothoracic, and metathoracic tarsomeres longer than two following tarsomeres combined.................................................................................... Dasypogoninae Macquart, 1838

- Only proximal prothoracic and metathoracic tarsomeres longer than two following tarsomeres..................................................................................................... Brachyrhopalinae Hardy, 1926

4 Veins R 2+3 joining R 1 before R 1 meets C, with cell r 1 closed; vein R 4 maybe strongly sinuate and arched forward after separation from R 5; cells m 3 and cup closed before wing margin ( Fig. 2B )............................ Laphriinae Macquart, 1838

- R 2+3 joining R 1 before R 1 meets C ( Fig. 2C ) or at C ( Fig. 2D ); R 4 not unusually arched and sinuate; cells m 3 and cup open to wing margin or one of the two closed, or both closed ( Figs. 2C and D )................................................ 5

5 Veins R 2+3 joining R 1 proximal to end of R 1, with cell r 1 thus separated from wing margin and closed ( Fig. 2C ); either anepisternum (mesopleuron of authors) with at least one strong bristle on its dorsoposterior angle, or katatergite with a vertical row of bristles or bristly setae...............................................................Asilinae Latrielle, 1802.

- R 2+3 ending in C ( Fig. 2D ); neither a strong bristle present on the dorsoposterior angle of anepisternum, nor a row of bristles present on the katatergite................................................................................6

6 Prosternum dissociated from proepisternum by a membranous area.............................................. 7

- Prosternum fused to proepisternum, forming a precoxal bridge................................................. 8

7 At least some of the median ommatidia distinctly larger...................... Willistonininae Artigas & Papavero, 1991 .

- All ommatidia of the eye are the same size................................................................. 9

8 Three to four antennal segments; occiput and pronotum dorsally generally with strongly differentiated bristles; female acanthophorites with spines on ovipositor................................................... Stenopogoninae Hull, 1962 .

- Four to six antennal segments; occiput without strong bristles; pronotum dorsally with fine pile or bristly hairs; female acanthophorites without spines on ovipositor.............................................. Dioctriinae Enderlein, 1936

9 Frons narrowed at level of insertion of antennae and then suddenly and widely diverging towards apex, which is extremely shallow (eyes much more distant at vertex than at antennal level); face without tentorial pits or grooves, flat above and prominent below or very gibbose; lateral eye margin sinuate; posterodorsal corner of metepimeron bare; abdomen slender; female terminalia with ventral keel and spines............................................. Stichopogoninae Hardy, 1930 .

- Frons approximately of same width at level of antennal insertion and vertex, the latter excavated (eyes not noticeably more distant at vertex than at antennal level); face with pronounced tentorial pits or grooves extending well beyond eye margin; lateral eye margin not sinuate; posterolateral corners of metepimeron with short setae; abdomen very short, usually three-quarters or less width of wing; female terminalia simple, tubular, without spines.................. Trigonomiminae Enderlein, 1914 .

Figures

FIGURE 2 A–D. Robber fly wing venation and cells. A. Leptogaster sp. (Leptogastrinae) (Hull 1962), B. Atomosia puella (Laphriinae) (Hull 1962), C. Pogonioefferia staminea (Asilinae) (Hine 1919), D. Backomyia limpidipennis (Stenopogoninae) (Hull 1962). Abbreviations: veins—C, costa; CuA, anterior branch of cubital (cubitus); CuP, posterior branch of cubital; R1, anterior branch of radius; R, radius branching into R2+3, R4, R5. Cross veins: m-cu, medio-cubital; r-m, radio-medial. Cells: cua, anterior cubital; cup, posterior cubital; d, discal; m, medial (m1, m2, m3, m4); r1, radial (marginal); r3, r4, r5 posterior (submarginal). Figures not to scale.