''Pegesimallus'' is a genus of
robber flies
The Asilidae are the robber fly family, also called assassin flies. They are powerfully built, bristly flies with a short, stout proboscis enclosing the sharp, sucking hypopharynx. The name "robber flies" reflects their notoriously aggressive pre ...
.
Distribution
Africa and Eurasia.
Biology
These species spend much of their time perched in the shade on shrubs or grass, where they lie in wait for flying insects. Their prey includes a wide variety of arthropods;
Hymenoptera
Hymenoptera is a large order (biology), order of insects, comprising the sawfly, sawflies, wasps, bees, and ants. Over 150,000 living species of Hymenoptera have been described, in addition to over 2,000 extinct ones. Many of the species are Par ...
and
Diptera
Flies are insects of the order Diptera, the name being derived from the Greek δι- ''di-'' "two", and πτερόν ''pteron'' "wing". Insects of this order use only a single pair of wings to fly, the hindwings having evolved into advanced ...
predominate. Females
oviposit in the surface layer of the soil.
Taxonomy
The classification of the species in this genus is difficult for two main reasons: Firstly, many are sexually dimorphic to the extent that females and males of the same species were, for some time, placed in different genera; and secondly, some of the species are so similar that they can only be separated by considering details of the male genitalia.
The genus has been placed in the tribe
Megapodini of the subfamily
Dasypogoninae.
It contains about 54 species, including the following:
* ''
Pegesimallus apicalis
''Pegesimallus'' is a genus of robber flies.
Distribution
Africa and Eurasia.
Biology
These species spend much of their time perched in the shade on shrubs or grass, where they lie in wait for flying insects. Their prey includes a wide variety ...
''
Bromley, 1947
* ''
Pegesimallus brunneus''
Londt, 1980
* ''
Pegesimallus bulbifrons
''Pegesimallus'' is a genus of robber flies.
Distribution
Africa and Eurasia.
Biology
These species spend much of their time perched in the shade on shrubs or grass, where they lie in wait for flying insects. Their prey includes a wide variety ...
''
Londt, 1980
* ''
Pegesimallus calvifrons
''Pegesimallus'' is a genus of robber flies.
Distribution
Africa and Eurasia.
Biology
These species spend much of their time perched in the shade on shrubs or grass, where they lie in wait for flying insects. Their prey includes a wide variety ...
''
Londt, 1980
* ''
Pegesimallus claelius
''Pegesimallus'' is a genus of robber flies.
Distribution
Africa and Eurasia.
Biology
These species spend much of their time perched in the shade on shrubs or grass, where they lie in wait for flying insects. Their prey includes a wide variety ...
''
Walker, 1849
* ''
Pegesimallus fusticulus
''Pegesimallus'' is a genus of robber flies.
Distribution
Africa and Eurasia.
Biology
These species spend much of their time perched in the shade on shrubs or grass, where they lie in wait for flying insects. Their prey includes a wide variety ...
''
Londt, 1980
* ''
Pegesimallus hermanni
''Pegesimallus'' is a genus of robber flies.
Distribution
Africa and Eurasia.
Biology
These species spend much of their time perched in the shade on shrubs or grass, where they lie in wait for flying insects. Their prey includes a wide variety ...
''
Londt, 1980
* ''
Pegesimallus irwini''
Londt, 1980
* ''
Pegesimallus isanicus''
Tomasovic, 2005
* ''
Pegesimallus kenyensis''
Londt, 1980
* ''
Pegesimallus mesasiatica
''Pegesimallus'' is a genus of robber flies.
Distribution
Africa and Eurasia.
Biology
These species spend much of their time perched in the shade on shrubs or grass, where they lie in wait for flying insects. Their prey includes a wide variety ...
''
Lehr, 1958
* ''
Pegesimallus namibiensis
''Pegesimallus'' is a genus of robber flies.
Distribution
Africa and Eurasia.
Biology
These species spend much of their time perched in the shade on shrubs or grass, where they lie in wait for flying insects. Their prey includes a wide variety ...
''
Londt, 1980
* ''
Pegesimallus oldroydi
''Pegesimallus'' is a genus of robber flies.
Distribution
Africa and Eurasia.
Biology
These species spend much of their time perched in the shade on shrubs or grass, where they lie in wait for flying insects. Their prey includes a wide variety ...
''
Londt, 1980
* ''
Pegesimallus saegeri
''Pegesimallus'' is a genus of robber flies.
Distribution
Africa and Eurasia.
Biology
These species spend much of their time perched in the shade on shrubs or grass, where they lie in wait for flying insects. Their prey includes a wide variety ...
''
Oldroyd, 1970
* ''
Pegesimallus srilankensis
''Pegesimallus'' is a genus of robber flies.
Distribution
Africa and Eurasia.
Biology
These species spend much of their time perched in the shade on shrubs or grass, where they lie in wait for flying insects. Their prey includes a wide variety ...
''
Londt, 1980
* ''
Pegesimallus vansoni
''Pegesimallus'' is a genus of robber flies.
Distribution
Africa and Eurasia.
Biology
These species spend much of their time perched in the shade on shrubs or grass, where they lie in wait for flying insects. Their prey includes a wide variety ...
''
Londt, 1980
* ''
Pegesimallus volcata
''Pegesimallus'' is a genus of robber flies.
Distribution
Africa and Eurasia.
Biology
These species spend much of their time perched in the shade on shrubs or grass, where they lie in wait for flying insects. Their prey includes a wide variety ...
''
Walker, 1849
* ''
Pegesimallus yerburyi
''Pegesimallus'' is a genus of robber flies.
Distribution
Africa and Eurasia.
Biology
These species spend much of their time perched in the shade on shrubs or grass, where they lie in wait for flying insects. Their prey includes a wide variety ...
''
Londt, 1980
References
External links
*
*
Asilidae genera
{{Asilidae-stub