Asilidae

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Robber flies

Juvenile Robberfly

Scientific classification

Kingdom:	Animalia
Phylum:	Arthropoda
Class:	Insecta
Order:	Diptera
Suborder:	Brachycera
Superfamily:	Asiloidea
Family:	Asilidae

Subfamilies

Apocleinae
Asilinae
Dasypogoninae
Laphriinae
Leptogastrinae
Ommatiinae
Stenopogoninae
Trigonomiminae

Flies in the Diptera family Asilidae are commonly known as robber flies. The family Asilidae contains about 7,100 described species worldwide. All robber flies have stout, spiny legs, a dense moustache of bristles on the face (mystax), and 3 simple eyes (ocelli) in a characteristic depression between their two large compound eyes. The mystax helps protect the head and face when the fly encounters prey bent on defense. The antennae are short, 3-segmented, sometimes with a bristle-like structure called an arista. The short, strong proboscis is used to stab and inject victims with saliva containing neurotoxic and proteolytic enzymes which paralyze and digest the insides; the fly then sucks the liquefied meal through the proboscis. Many species have long, tapering abdomens, sometimes with a sword-like ovipositor. Others are fat-bodied bumble bee mimics. Adult robber flies attack other flies, beetles, butterflies and moths, various bees, dragon and damselflies, ichneumon wasps, grasshoppers, and some spiders.

[edit] Literature

Geller-Grimm F (2003): Photographic atlas and identification key to the robber flies of Germany (Diptera: Asilidae), CD-ROM, Amphx-Verlag Halle (Saale). ISBN 3-932795-18-0
Hull FM (1962): Robber flies of the world., Bulletin of the United States National Museum 224 (1, 2): 1-907; Washington.
Lavigne RJ (2003): Evolution of courtship behaviour among the Asilidae (Diptera), with a review of courtship and mating. Studia dipterologica 9(2)(2002): 703-742
Musso JJ (1978): Recherches sur le développement, la nutrition et l'écologie des Asilidae (Diptera - Brachycera), Aix-*Marseille: These université d'droit, d'èconomie et des sciences: 312 S.
Oldroyd H (1969): Tanbanoidea and Asiloidea, Handb Ident British Insects 9(4). London
Papavero N (1973): Studies of Asilidae (Diptera) systematics and evolution. I. A preliminary classification in subfamilies., Arquivos de Zoologia do Estado de Sao Paulo 23: 217-274; Sao Paulo.
Wood GC (1981): Asilidae, In: McAlpine JF, Peterson BV, Shewell GE, Teskey HJ, Vockeroth JR, Wood DM,(Hrsg.): Manual of Nearctic Diptera. Volume 1., Research Branch, Agriculture Canada, Monographs 27: : 549-573; Ottawa.