Superfamily Asiloidea

The Asiloidea can be difficult to characterize morphologically. They have the empodia usually setiform or absent and cell cup elongate, with vein CuA2 ending freely on the wing margin or meeting with vein A1 at or near the wing margin, perhaps except in Scenopinidae. The number of flagellomeres does not exceed 4. Bombyliidae (and Mythicomyiidae) have cell bm with 3 distal corners and vein M3 often absent. Mydidae, Apioceridae, and Asilidae have the vertex of the head at least slightly concave between the eyes and the ocelli; dichoptic in both sexes. In Therevidae, Apsilocephalidae, and Scenopinidae, the males are usually holoptic (1).