Dasylechia
Williston, 1907
Species Guides
1Dasylechia is a of robber flies ( Asilidae) established by Williston in 1907. The genus contains a single described , Dasylechia atrox. This robber fly was historically considered ultra-rare, but its known range has expanded significantly through citizen science photography. Observations documented on iNaturalist have become the primary source of distributional data for this species, now outnumbering museum specimens.
Pronunciation
How to pronounce Dasylechia: //ˌdæzɪˈlɛkiə//
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Identification
Dasylechia atrox can be distinguished from other robber flies by its robust, stocky build. The specific morphological characters distinguishing Dasylechia from related within Asilidae have not been detailed in the provided sources. Accurate identification to level may require examination of preserved specimens or consultation with taxonomic literature.
Distribution
The true geographic range of Dasylechia atrox is currently being defined primarily through photographic observations submitted to iNaturalist. Historical collection records were sparse, leading to its former classification as ultra-rare. Citizen science contributions have substantially expanded the documented range beyond what was known from traditional museum collections.
Human Relevance
Dasylechia atrox serves as a prominent example in debates about the value of photographic records versus specimen-based research in entomology. The has become a case study demonstrating that citizen science photography can document range extensions and for rarely collected . However, this example has also been cited in discussions about the limitations of photographic records, as images alone do not provide material for genetic analysis, detailed anatomical study, or permanent voucher documentation.
More Details
Taxonomic status
Dasylechia is an accepted in the Catalogue of Life and GBIF, with authorship attributed to Williston, 1907.
Species diversity
Only one , Dasylechia atrox, has been described in this .