Hodophylax
James, 1933
Species Guides
4Hodophylax is a of robber flies in the Asilidae, established by James in 1933. The genus contains at least four described , all found in North America. Like other robber flies, members of this genus are predatory insects. Specific ecological details remain poorly documented due to limited study of this relatively obscure genus.
Pronunciation
How to pronounce Hodophylax: /ˌhoʊ.doʊˈfaɪlæks/
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Identification
Hodophylax can be distinguished from other Asilidae by specific morphological characters established in taxonomic keys, though detailed diagnostic features require examination of original species descriptions. The genus is small and poorly represented in collections, making field identification challenging without knowledge.
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Distribution
North America. The four described have type localities in the western and central United States: H. aridus (California), H. basingeri (Kansas), H. halli (California), and H. tolandi (Nevada).
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Taxonomic history
The was erected by M.T. James in 1933 with Hodophylax aridus as the type . Three additional species were described between 1938 and 1961 by Pritchard and Wilcox. The genus has received limited taxonomic attention since its original description.
Data availability
The is represented by only 43 observations on iNaturalist as of the knowledge cutoff, indicating it is rarely encountered or underreported. Original descriptions remain the primary source of information.