• the key was originally published in Papavero and Wilcox in 1974 and can be downloaded at 10.11606/issn.2176-7793.v25i1p1-34.
• Torsten Dikow added the Megascelinae and Rhaphiomidinae to the key, adjusted the terminology, and attached images to several characters and a representative of each subfamily taxon.

- This interactive, matrix-based identification key is provided to place all Asilidae genera in the revised, phylogenetic classification of 14 subfamily taxa proposed by Dikow (2009), i.e., Asilinae, Bathypogoninae, Brachyrhopalinae, Dasypogoninae, Dioctriinae, Laphriinae, Leptogastrinae, Ommatiinae, Phellinae, Stenopogoninae, Stichopogoninae, Tillobromatinae, Trigonomiminae, and Willistonininae.

- The phylogenetic analysis, which is the basis for this classification, was published in Dikow (2009) and can be downloaded as an open-access PDF from the AMNH library.

- The characters for this key are taken from Table 7 and are illustrated with photographs and line drawings in the interactive key, which are partly taken from Dikow (2009). Photographs of Asilidae were kindly provided by Michael Thomas, Giff Beaton, Fritz Geller-Grimm, Riley Nelson, Eileen Collins, and Robert Copeland.

- Mydas ventralis couplets shortened
- The key to the females of the Mydas interruptus group is not included. Mydas floridensis can only be keyed out using the originally published key.
- keys to Baliomydas & Ceriomydas from Papavero and Wilcox 1971.
- Baliomydas tricolor not included as no specimens had been studied.
- Ceriomydas vespoides is not in the original key by Wilcox and Papavero 1971, but Ceriomydas darlingtoni is found twice so that T. Dikow resolved the key based on the included descriptions.

- Intern Sara Parilo updated this key (July 2011) and attached images to all characters and species.
- This key relies heavily on male terminalia and it is best to have a male specimen for identification.
- You can download the original publications with the descriptions and keys as a PDF from the BHL: Fitzgerald and Kondratieff 1995 and Fitzgerald and Kondratieff 1997.

- This key is only for males and relies heavily on male terminalia. Therefore, dissected specimens are best.
- The terminology for the male terminalia follows Yeates and Irwin 1996.
- The illustrations are taken from Cazier 1982 and 1985.
- You can download the original publications with the descriptions and keys as a PDF from the AMNH library: Cazier 1982 and Cazier 1985.
- The distribution (by country and state) has been added for each species.
- You can use the Filter tool (blue funnel symbol in key) to restrict the key to those species occurring in certain states, i.e., Baja California Norte, Baja California Sur, Arizona, California.