Assassin-fly
Guides
Ablautus coquilletti
Coquillett Prospector
Ablautus coquilletti is a species of assassin fly (family Asilidae) described by Wilcox in 1935. The genus Ablautus comprises predatory flies commonly known as prospectors, characterized by their distinctive facial hair and venomous hunting behavior. This species is currently undergoing taxonomic revision as part of broader systematic studies of the genus Ablautus.
Cyrtopogon marginalis
Shiny-edged Bandit
Cyrtopogon marginalis is a species of robber fly (family Asilidae), commonly known as the Shiny-edged Bandit. Robber flies are predatory insects that capture other arthropods in flight. This species belongs to the genus Cyrtopogon, a group of robber flies found primarily in North America. The specific epithet 'marginalis' likely refers to distinctive marginal markings on the wings or body edges, a common naming pattern in this genus.
Efferia cana
Efferia cana is a species of robber fly in the family Asilidae, described by Hine in 1916. The genus Efferia belongs to a group of large, predatory flies commonly known as robber flies or assassin flies. Members of this genus are characterized by their robust build, prominent compound eyes, and predatory behavior. Efferia cana is part of a diverse assemblage of Asilidae species found in North America, where these flies occupy important roles as aerial predators in various terrestrial habitats.
Efferia harveyi
Harvey Hammertail
Efferia harveyi is a species of assassin fly (family Asilidae), commonly known as the Harvey Hammertail. Originally described as Erax harveyi by Hine in 1919, it was later transferred to the genus Efferia. Like other members of the Asilidae, this species is a predatory fly. The common name 'Harvey Hammertail' refers to the clubbed or expanded abdomen tip characteristic of many Efferia species. The species has been documented in at least 25 observations on iNaturalist.
Ommatius
Plumetops
Ommatius is a large and morphologically diverse genus of robber flies (Diptera: Asilidae) within the subfamily Asilinae. The genus contains numerous species distributed across multiple biogeographic regions, with particularly well-documented diversity in the Afrotropical region and the Americas. Species are organized into multiple species groups based on morphological characteristics. Like other Asilidae, members of this genus are predatory as both larvae and adults. The genus has been subject to extensive taxonomic revision due to its high species diversity and complex morphological variation.
Ommatius baboquivari
Ommatius baboquivari is a species of robber fly in the family Asilidae, described by Wilcox in 1936. As a member of the genus Ommatius, it belongs to one of the most diverse genera within this large family of predatory flies. Robber flies in this genus share the characteristic predatory lifestyle of Asilidae, hunting other insects as adults. The species epithet references Baboquivari, likely indicating a type locality or geographic association with the Baboquivari Mountains or region in the southwestern United States.
Ommatius gemma
Ommatius gemma is a species of robber fly in the family Asilidae, first described by Brimley in 1928. As a member of the genus Ommatius, it belongs to one of the most diverse genera within the Asilidae. Robber flies in this genus are predatory insects known for their venomous hunting strategy and distinctive facial morphology. The species is part of a family containing over 7,500 described species worldwide, with many species remaining poorly studied.
Ommatius tibialis
Northeastern Plumetop
Ommatius tibialis is a species of robber fly in the family Asilidae, commonly known as the Northeastern Plumetop. The species was described by Thomas Say in 1823. As a member of the Asilidae, it is a predatory fly with venomous mouthparts used to subdue prey. The genus Ommatius is one of the largest genera within the family, with species distributed across multiple continents.
Ommatius wilcoxi
robber fly, assassin fly
Ommatius wilcoxi is a species of robber fly (family Asilidae) described by Bullington & Lavigne in 1984. The genus Ommatius is one of the most diverse genera within Asilidae, with species distributed across multiple continents. Like other assassin flies, O. wilcoxi is predatory in both larval and adult stages. The species is part of a family containing over 7,500 described species worldwide, though many remain poorly known.
Saropogon abbreviatus
Saropogon abbreviatus is a species of robber flies in the family Asilidae, described by Johnson in 1903. Robber flies are predatory insects known for their venomous nature and aerial hunting behavior. The genus Saropogon is part of the Nearctic fauna north of Mexico, though specific ecological details for this species remain limited in published literature.
Saropogon albifrons
Saropogon albifrons is a species of assassin fly (family Asilidae) described by Back in 1904. It belongs to the subfamily Dasypogoninae and tribe Saropogonini. Like other members of the genus Saropogon, it is a predatory fly with venomous capabilities. The species is part of the Nearctic fauna, with documented observations primarily from western North America.
Saropogon bryanti
Saropogon bryanti is a species of robber fly (family Asilidae) described by Wilcox in 1966. It belongs to the genus Saropogon, a group of predatory flies within the subfamily Dasypogoninae. Like other robber flies, it is presumed to be an aerial predator of other insects, though specific details of its biology remain poorly documented. The species has been recorded from limited observations, with six documented occurrences in iNaturalist as of the source date.
Saropogon coquilletti
Saropogon coquilletti is a species of assassin fly (family Asilidae) first described by Back in 1909. It belongs to the genus Saropogon, which was reviewed for Nearctic species north of Mexico by Charlotte Herbert Alberts as part of her dissertation research on assassin fly systematics. Like other members of the Asilidae, this species is a predatory fly with venomous capabilities. The species is part of a group that has received recent taxonomic attention due to the discovery and description of related new species in the southwestern United States.
Saropogon hypomelas
Saropogon hypomelas is a species of robber fly in the family Asilidae, first described by Loew in 1866. As a member of the genus Saropogon, it belongs to a group of predatory flies that are venomous and feed on other insects. The genus Saropogon was the subject of a 2023 taxonomic review by Charlotte Herbert Alberts, which examined all Nearctic species north of Mexico. Like other assassin flies, S. hypomelas likely plays a role as an aerial predator in its ecosystem.
Saropogon luteus
Saropogon luteus is a species of robber fly (family Asilidae) described by Coquillett in 1904. It belongs to the subfamily Dasypogoninae and tribe Saropogonini. The species epithet 'luteus' (Latin for yellow or golden-yellow) likely refers to its coloration. Like other members of the genus Saropogon, it is a predatory fly that captures other insects in flight.
Saropogon mohawki
robber fly, assassin fly
Saropogon mohawki is a species of robber fly (family Asilidae) described by Wilcox in 1966. It belongs to the subfamily Dasypogoninae and tribe Saropogonini. The genus Saropogon is part of the Nearctic fauna north of Mexico, with species reviewed in a 2023 taxonomic revision. Like other Asilidae, this species is a predatory fly, though specific ecological details remain undocumented.
Saropogon pritchardi
Saropogon pritchardi is a species of robber fly (family Asilidae) described by Bromley in 1934. Robber flies in this genus are predatory insects known for their venomous attacks on other arthropods. The genus Saropogon occurs in the Nearctic region, with species distributed across North America. Specific details about the biology and ecology of S. pritchardi remain limited in published literature.
Saropogon purus
Saropogon purus is a species of robber fly (family Asilidae) described by Curran in 1930. It belongs to the subfamily Dasypogoninae and tribe Saropogonini. As with other Asilidae, this species is a predatory fly, though specific ecological details for S. purus remain undocumented in available sources.
Saropogon pyrodes
Saropogon pyrodes is a species of robber fly (Asilidae) described in 2022 from Arizona, USA. First collected in 1964, the species remained undescribed for nearly 60 years until community science photographs posted to online identification platforms prompted formal taxonomic study. The species exhibits distinctive 'fire-like' coloration and yellowish wings in both sexes—a notable departure from the sexual dimorphism in wing coloration typical of many congeners, where males usually have brown wings and females yellowish wings. As a member of the subfamily Dasypogoninae, it is presumed to be a predatory fly with potential preference for hymenopteran prey, though specific dietary data for this species are lacking.
Saropogon senex
Saropogon senex is a species of assassin fly (family Asilidae) described by Osten Sacken in 1887. As a member of the genus Saropogon, it belongs to the tribe Saropogonini within the subfamily Dasypogoninae. The genus Saropogon is part of a taxonomic group that has been subject to recent revisionary work for the Nearctic fauna north of Mexico. Assassin flies in this genus, like other Asilidae, function as aerial predators of other arthropods.