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Genus Efferia - Hammertails

Mystery Robber - Efferia Robber Fly - Efferia aestuans - female Robber Fly - Efferia Robberfly - Efferia - male Robberfly3 - Efferia Female, Efferia albibarbis? - Efferia albibarbis - female Efferia robber fly? - Efferia aestuans - female Robber Fly - Efferia
Classification
Kingdom Animalia (Animals)
Phylum Arthropoda (Arthropods)
Subphylum Hexapoda (Hexapods)
Class Insecta (Insects)
Order Diptera (Flies)
No Taxon (Orthorrhapha)
Superfamily Asiloidea
Family Asilidae (Robber Flies)
Subfamily Asilinae
Genus Efferia (Hammertails)
Synonyms and other taxonomic changes
Treated here broadly; species-groups used in the guide are sometimes recognized as separate genera Albibarbefferia, Aridefferia, Carinefferia, Nerax, Pogonioefferia, Tuberculefferia, e.g. in(1)
Explanation of Names
Efferia Coquillett 1893
from Latin efferus 'wild, savage'

Hammertails: https://www.robberfliesoftheworld.com/NA_CommonNames.php
Numbers
~110 spp. in our area, 185 total(1)
Size
more or less average in size, 15 to 25-30 mm(2)
Identification
Key to eastern spp.(3), key to others(4).
Range
in our area, the vast majority are restricted to sw. US, with some widely western spp. and just two widespread spp.; Nerax predominantly southeastern(1)
Internet References