key

 -   Subfamilies
 -   Asilinae
       Aneomochtherus
       Antipalus
       Antiphrisson
       Asilus
       Dysmachus-gr.
       Echthistus
       Erax
       Machimus-gr.
       Neoitamus
       Neomochtherus
       Pamponerus
       Philonicus
       Rhadiurgus
       Stilpnogaster

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  & copyright:
  Fritz Geller-Grimm
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Identification key to Asilinae

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There are at least 33 Asilinae species occurring in Germany. This identification key is mainly based on publications by ENGEL (1930) and WEINBERG & BÄCHLI (1995). It is important to distinguish between the gender, i.e. the development of the female ovipositor is important for distinguishing between genera and the male terminalia are important to distinguish between species. Often, the diagnostic features of the included genera are not included to make the key easier to use because the Central European genera might be confusing for the non-specialist.

1 a.	Length of metatarsus of mid leg reduced and somewhat widened [Fig. 1] . . . . . . . . . . . . Echthistus rufinervis (Meigen, 1820)

1 b.	Metatarsus of mid leg of usual length [Fig. 2] . . . . . . . . . . . . to 2

2 a.	Face with shiny spot in the middle and only eye margins tomentose [Fig. 3] . . . . . . . . . . . . Rhadiurgus variabilis (Zetterstedt, [1838])

2 b.	Face completely covered with pubescence or only with a very narrow shiny longitudinal stripe [Fig. 4] . . . . . . . . . . . . to 3

3 a.	No lateral marginal bristles developed on tergites (discal bristles) [Fig. 5], [Fig. 6] . . . . . . . . . . . . to 4

3 b.	Lateral marginal bristles on tergites (discal bristles) well-developed [Fig. 7], [Fig. 8] . . . . . . . . . . . . to 6

4 a.	Base of wing milky white in males [Fig. 9]; upper margin of facial gibbosity distinctly angular [Fig. 10] . . . . . . . . . . . . Pamponerus germanicus (Linnaeus, 1758)

4 b.	Base of wing not different in colour from rest of wing [Fig. 11]; upper margin of facial gibbosity of usual shape, more rounded [Fig. 12] . . . . . . . . . . . . to 5

5 a.	Posterior tergites yellow [Fig. 13]; face beard (mystax) yellow [Fig. 14] . . . . . . . . . . . . Asilus crabroniformis Linnaeus, 1758

5 b.	All tergites black [Fig. 15]; face beard (mystax) white in upper part and black in lower part [Fig. 16] . . . . . . . . . . . . Antiphrisson trifarius (Loew, 1849)

6 a.	Tergites and sternites black and shiny, except for somewhat tomentose hind margins of each segment [Fig. 17], [Fig. 18] . . . . . . . . . . . . Stilpnogaster aemula (Meigen, 1820)

6 b.	At least tergites tomentose [Fig. 19], [Fig. 20] . . . . . . . . . . . . to 7

7 a.	Postocular bristles (occipital bristles) long and sharply, bent anteriorly in right-angled medially [Fig. 21]; at least two last segments anterior to ovipositor shiny black [Fig. 22] . . . . . . . . . . . . Neoitamus

7 b.	Postocular bristles (occipital bristles) either weakly bent or straight [Fig. 23]; two last segments anterior to ovipositor tomentose [Fig. 24] . . . . . . . . . . . . to 8

8 a.	Dorsocentral and acrostichal bristles weakly developed or entirely lacking anterior to transverse suture [Fig. 25]; facial gibbosity restricted to lower third of face [Fig. 26] . . . . . . . . . . . . to 9

8 b.	Dorsocentral and acrostichal bristles well-developed anterior to transverse suture [Fig. 27]; facial gibbosity well-developed (at least occupying lower half of face) [Fig. 28] . . . . . . . . . . . . to 11

9 a.	Legs completely black [Fig. 29]; ovipositor with erect spines [Fig. 30] . . . . . . . . . . . . Philonicus albiceps (Meigen, 1820)

9 b.	At least tibiae yellowish or red [Fig. 31]; ovipositor without such erect spines [Fig. 32] . . . . . . . . . . . . to 10

10 a.

Sternites mainly shiny [Fig. 33] . . . . . . . . . . . . Neomochtherus

10 b.

Sternites mainly tomentose [Fig. 34] . . . . . . . . . . . . Aneomochtherus flavicornis (Ruthe, 1831)

11 a.

Area around cross-veins of wing darkened [Fig. 35]; postpedicel (3rd antennal segment) elongated [Fig. 36] . . . . . . . . . . . . Erax barbatus Scopoli, 1763

11 b.

Area around cross-veins not particularly darkened [Fig. 37]; postpedicel (3rd antennal segment) of usual length and shape [Fig. 38] . . . . . . . . . . . . to 12

12 a.

Ovipositors broad and short (wider than long), ventrally with densely arranged yellow hairs [Fig. 39], [Fig. 40] . . . . . . . . . . . . Antipalus varipes (Meigen, 1820)

12 b.

Ovipositor laterally compressed (longer than wide) [Fig. 41], [Fig. 42] . . . . . . . . . . . . to 13

13 a.

Cerci of ovipositor enclosed by last tergite [Fig. 43], [Fig. 44] . . . . . . . . . . . . Dysmachus-group [Didysmachus, Dysmachus, Eutomlus]

13 b.

Cerci free, not surrounded by last tergite [Fig. 45], [Fig. 46] . . . . . . . . . . . . Machimus-group [Machimus, Neoepitriptus, Tolmerus]