Asilidae generic classification sensu Dikow 2009

The comprehensive cladistic study by Dikow (2009) proposes a revised, phylogenetic classification of Asilidae into 14 subfamily taxa. This phylogenetic study is based on a sample of 158 species from 140 genera representing all 11 previously recognized subfamily taxa (Hull 1962, Papavero 1973, Geller-Grimm 2004) and 39 of the 42 tribal taxa.

Only 140 out of 537 Asilidae genera (Geller-Grimm 2004) were included at the time in this phylogenetic analysis. However, all genera classified by Geller-Grimm (2004) in Apocleinae + Asilinae (174 genera, 29 included in Dikow (2009)), Dioctriinae (11, 6 included), Laphriinae + Laphystiinae (109, 27 included), Leptogastrinae (18, 5 included), Ommatiinae (8, 4 included plus Afroestricus), Stichopogoninae (11, 4 included), and Trigonomiminae (11, 4 included) can easily be placed within the revised classification as all of these taxa have been diagnosed sufficiently to evaluate whether the remaining unstudied genera are representatives of these monophyletic taxa.

Fifty-nine genera of Dasypogoninae and Stenopogoninae sensu previous authors were included in Dikow (2009) so that only 127 genera of these two taxa remained to be addressed in future phylogenetic analyses and placed within the higher-level taxa recognized in this revised classification. With the placement of the Afrotropical genera (Londt and Dikow in the Manual of Afrotropical Diptera) only 98 genera remain to be placed in this phylogenetic classification.

Below is a list of 560 valid Asilidae genera (plus 136 synonyms, 57 homonyms, and 5 nomina nuda) based on the world-catalog of Geller-Grimm (2004) with the addition of genera described since then. Note that 23 subgenera are also included and unpublished generic names are not included.

Last update: 2020-11-02