Callinicus is a genus of robber flies in the family Asilidae. The genus was established by Hermann Loew in 1872. Members of this genus are endemic to western North America.
Description
Like other robber flies, species of Callinicus are predatory insects with a robust build, known for their aggressive hunting behavior. They are predators of solitary bees, particularly those in the families Megachilidae and Andrenidae.
Species
There are approximately five described species in the genus Callinicus:
- Callinicus calcaneus Loew, 1872
- Callinicus pictitarsis (Bigot, 1878)
- Callinicus pollenius (Cole, 1919)
- Callinicus quadrinotatus (Bigot, 1878)
- Callinicus vittatus Wilcox, 1936
Taxonomy
The genus Callinicus belongs to the subfamily Stenopogoninae within the family Asilidae. It is classified under the order Diptera (true flies), infraorder Asilomorpha, and superfamily Asiloidea.
References
- "Callinicus Report". Integrated Taxonomic Information System. Retrieved 2018-04-21.
- "Browse Callinicus". Catalogue of Life. Retrieved 2018-04-21.
- "Callinicus". GBIF. Retrieved 2018-04-21.
- "Callinicus Genus Information". BugGuide.net. Retrieved 2018-04-21.
