Asilidae, commonly known as robber flies, are found worldwide and are comprised of about 5,000 species. Adults of extant forms are all predaceous on other insects where prey can sometimes be genus- or species-specific. They can be found resting in sunny places or waiting in ambush on rocks, twigs, or grass blades. Larvae are either predaceous on the eggs, larvae, and pupae of other insects or are ectoparasitic on other larvae. Many are free living in the soil.

The fossil record for Asilidae is rather good (57 species in 27 genera) considering that they are most often found in xerophilic habitats, which are not the most suitable for known fossil or amber deposits. Hull (1962) gave a fairly complete review of the fossil forms known at that time.

In addition to the determined forms listed below, Handlirsch (1910: 124) recorded undetermined material from the Oligocene deposits of Quesnel, British Columbia, Canada.

Guérin-Méneville (1838a: 170) identified two Oligocene Sicilian amber specimens as Dasypogon. However, Szadziewski (1988: 12) pointed out that one is most likely a chironomid and the other is a different, but unnamed nematocerous specimen.

A fossil genus, Permessus, was recorded (but without description or characters) by both Rudel (1940) and Timon-David (1944) as being described by Piton & Théobald in an article in the Mém. Soc. Sci. Nancy for 1939. Carpenter (1992) also cited this article in his bibliography. However, a search of that journal for the year 1939 or a few years subsequent to or previous to 1939 failed to find a published article by Piton & Théobald mentioning the genus Permessus. Until publication of the name is found, it is listed in this catalog as a nomen nudum.

Ref.: Hull (1962, world review of extant and fossil taxa).

ARARIPOGON Grimaldi, 1990: 173. Type species Araripogon axelrodi Grimaldi, 1990, by original designation.

axelrodi Grimaldi, 1990: 173. NT: Brazil (Upper Cretaceous) [C].

ASILOPSIS Cockerell, 1920a: 250. Type species: Asilopsis fusculus Cockerell, 1920, by original designation.

fuscula Cockerell, 1920a: 250. NE: USA (Eocene) [C].

*ASILUS Linnaeus 1758: 605. Type species: Asilus crabroniformis Linnaeus, 1758, by subsequent designation of Latreille (1810: 443).

amelancheiris Cockerell, 1911: 79. NE: USA (Oligocene) [C].
angustialis Zhang, 1989a: 363. PA: China (Miocene) [C].
angustifrons Loew, 1850b: 40. Nomen nudum. [Preoccupied by Loew, 1849.]
antiquus Heer, 1849: 239. PA: Switzerland (Miocene) [C].
bicolor Heer, 1849: 241. PA: Croatia (Miocene) [C].
brunneitibius Zhang, 1989a: 362. PA: China (Miocene) [C].
curculionis Melander, 1947: 45. NE: USA (Oligocene) [C].
deperditus Heer, 1849: 240. PA: Switzerland (Miocene) [C].
florissantinus James, 1939: 44. NE: USA (Oligocene) [C].
gurnetensis Cockerell, 1921c: 470. PA: UK (England) (Eocene/Oligocene) [C].
ignotus Westwood in Brodie, 1845: pl. 7, fig. 19. PA: UK (England) (Lower Jurassic) [C].
palaeolestes Cockerell, 1921b: 31. NE: USA (Eocene) [C].
sannoisiensis Meunier, 1915b: 11. PA: France (Oligocene) [C].
trichurus Meunier, 1899e: 177. PA: Baltic Region (Eocene/Oligocene) [A].
trichurus Loew, 1850b: 40. Nomen nudum.
wickhami Cockerell, 1915a: 648. NE: USA (Oligocene) [C].

*CERATURGUS Wiedemann, 1824: 12. Type species: Dasypogon aurulentus Fabricius, 1805, by monotypy.
*CERATURGOPSIS Johnson, 1903: 111. Type species: Dasypogon cornutus Wiedemann, 1828 [misidentification, = Ceraturgus johnsoni Martin, 1965], by original designation.

praecursor James, 1939: 46 (Ceraturgopsis). NE: USA (Oligocene) [C].

*COPHURA Osten Sacken, 1887b: 181. Type species: Type species: Cophura sodalis Osten Sacken, 1887, by monotypy.

antiquella Cockerell, 1913d: 213. NE: USA (Oligocene) [C].

*DIOCTRIA Meigen, 1803: 270. Type species: Asilus oelandicus Linnaeus, 1758, by subsequent designation of Latreille (1810: 443).

florissantina Cockerell, 1909b: 58 (Leptis). NE: USA (Oligocene) [C].
jamesi Lewis, 1972a: 276. NE: USA (Oligocene) [C].
pulveris Cockerell, 1917e: 392. NE: USA (Oligocene) [C].

*HOLOPOGON Loew, 1847: 473. Type species: Dasypogon nigripennis Meigen, 1820, by subsequent designation of Coquillett (1910: 552).

archilestes Hull, 1960: 272. NE: USA (Oligocene) [C].
pilipes Loew, 1850b: 40 (Dasypogon). PA: Baltic Region (Eocene/Oligocene) [A].
[Species name validated by characters given in the key in Loew (1850b: 36) for the genus Holopogon. The key is to amber taxa and pilipes is the only named species listed in Holopogon as occurring in amber.]

*LEPTOGASTER Meigen, 1803: 269. Type species: Asilus tipuloides Linnaeus, 1758 [misidentification, = Asilus cylindricus De Geer, 1776], by monotypy.

falloti Théobald, 1937a: 242. PA: France (Oligocene) [C].
hellii Unger, 1841: 428. PA: Croatia (Miocene) [C].
prior Melander, 1947: 44. NE: USA (Oligocene) [C].

*LESTOMYIA Williston, 1883: 19. Type species: Clavator sabulonum Osten Sacken, 1877, by original designation.

miocenica James, 1939: 46. NE: USA (Oligocene) [C].

*MACHIMUS Loew, 1849: 1. Type species: Asilus chrysitis Meigen, 1820, by subsequent designation of Coquillett (1910: 564).

kollmani Timon-David, 1944: 130. PA: France (Oligocene) [C].

*MICROSTYLUM Macquart, 1838: 26 (1839: 142). Type species: Dasypogon venosus Wiedemann, 1821, by subsequent designation of Back (1909: 213).

destructum Cockerell, 1909h: 254. NE: USA (Oligocene) [C].
wheeleri Cockerell, 1908a: 173. NE: USA (Oligocene) [C].

*LOPHONOTUS Macquart, 1838: 125 (1839: 241). Type species: Lophonotus auribarbis Macquart, 1838 [= Asilus calcogaster Wiedemann, 1819], by subsequent designation of Coquillett (1910: 562). [Preoccupied by Stephens, 1829.]
*NEOLOPHONOTUS Engel, 1925: 347 (new replacement name for Lophonotus Macquart). Type species: Lophonotus auribarbis Macquart, 1838 [= Asilus calcogaster Wiedemann, 1819], automatic.

klebsi Meunier, 1908e: 19 (Lophonotus). PA: Baltic Region (Eocene/Oligocene) [A].

*NICOCLES Jaennicke, 1867: 355. Type species: Nicocles analis Jaennicke, 1867, by monotypy.

miocenicus Cockerell, 1909h: 255. NE: USA (Oligocene) [C].

*OMMATIUS Wiedemann, 1821b: 213. Type species: Asilus marginellus Fabricius, 1781, by subsequent designation of Coquillett (1910: 579).

fimbriatus Scarbrough & Poinar, 1992: 13. NT: Dominican Republic (Oligocene/Miocene) [A].
subtus Scarbrough & Poinar, 1992: 13. NT: Dominican Republic (Oligocene/ Miocene) [A].

PALAEOMOLOBRA Hull, 1962: 23. Type species: Senobasis antiqua James, 1939, by original designation.

antiqua James, 1939: 43 (Senobasis). NE: USA (Oligocene) [C].

PERMESSUS Rudel, 1940: 17. Unavailable name; genus-group name proposed after 1930 without diagnosis, indication, or description.

asiloides Rudel, 1940: 17 (Permessus). Nomen nudum.

*PHILONICUS Loew, 1849: 144. Type species: Asilus albiceps Meigen, 1820, by monotypy.

saxorum James, 1939: 44. NE: USA (Oligocene) [C].

*PILICA Curran, 1931: 20. Type species: Laphria formidulosa Walker, 1860, by original designation.

Unidentified sp.-NT: Mexico (Oligocene/Miocene) [A] (Poinar, 1992: 178).

*PROCTACANTHUS Macquart, 1838: 120 (1839: 226). Type species: Proctacanthus philadelphicus Macquart, 1838, by subsequent designation of Coquillett (1910: 595).

fractus Cockerell, 1921c: 470. PA: UK (England) (Eocene/Oligocene) [C].

PROTOLOEWINELLA Schumann, 1984: 218. Type species: Paraloewinella keilbachi Schumann, 1984, by original designation.
PARALOEWINELLA. Incorrect original spelling of Protoloewinella (Schumann, 1984: 218).

keilbachi Schumann, 1984: 218. PA: Germany (Oligocene) [A].

PSEUDOPHRISSON Dürrenfeldt, 1968: 45. Type species: Pseudophrisson primus Dürrenfeldt, 1968, by original designation.

primus Dürrenfeldt, 1968: 45. PA: Germany (Pliocene) [C].

*SAROPOGON Loew, 1847: 439 (as Dasypogon subgenus). Type species: Dasypogon luctuosus Wiedemann, 1820, by subsequent designation of Coquillett (1910: 603).

oblitescens Cockerell, 1914a: 102. NE: USA (Oligocene) [C].

*SENOBASIS Macquart, 1838: 52 (1839: 168). Type species: Senobasis analis Macquart, 1838, by subsequent designation of Bromley (1934: 332).
STENOBASIS Kertész, 1909a: 123 (unjustified emendation of Senobasis Macquart). Type species: Senobasis analis Macquart, 1838, automatic.

borealis James, 1939: 45. NE: USA (Oligocene) [C].

*SENOPROSOPIS Macquart, 1838: 130 (1839: 246). Type species: Senoprosopis diardii Macquart, 1838, by monotypy.
STENOPROSOPUS Aldrich, 1905: 280 (unjustified emendation of Senoprosopis Macquart). Type species: Senoprosopis diardii Macquart, 1838, automatic.

EOSENOPROSOPIS Hull, 1958: 37. Type species: Senoprosopis romeri Hull, 1958, by original designation.

beckeri Lewis, 1972a: 276. NE: USA (Oligocene) [C].
romeri Hull, 1958: 37. NE: USA (Oligocene) [C].

eureka Melander, 1949: 36. NE: USA (Oligocene) [C].

STENOCINCLIS Scudder, 1878c: 751. Type species: Stenocinclis anomala Scudder, 1878, by monotypy.

anomala Scudder, 1878c: 751. NE: USA (Eocene) [C].

*TARACTICUS Loew, 1872a: 64 [1872b: 240]. Type species: Dioctria octopunctata Say, 1823, by monotypy.

contusus Cockerell, 1910c: 282. NE: USA (Oligocene) [C].
renovatus Cockerell, 1911: 80. NE: USA (Oligocene) [C].

*TIPULOGASTER Cockerell, 1913d: 214. Type species: Leptogaster badius Loew, 1862 [= Leptogaster glabrata Wiedemann, 1828], by original designation.

*glabratus Wiedemann, 1828: 534 (Leptogaster). Unknown [= North America]; NE: USA, Canada; NE: USA (Oligocene) [C].
*badius Loew, 1862a: 188 (1864a: 58) (Leptogaster). NE: USA; NE: USA (Oligocene) [C].

*WILCOXIA James, 1941: 38. Type species: Wilcoxia cinerea James, 1941, by original designation.

Unidentified sp.-NT: Dominican Republic (Oligocene/Miocene) [A] (Poinar, 1992: 178).