This biodiversity tool features the entirely Afrotropical robber-fly genus Lasiocnemus (Loew, 1851) (Insecta: Diptera: Asilidae: Leptogastrinae). It is with seven currently recognised species relatively species-poor, but in contrast to most species of Leptogastrinae these flies are big and are generally dark in coloration, with brown-and-white spotted wings, and expanded metathoracic femora and tibiae that bear erect setae.

Lasiocnemus has been reviewed taxonomically by Janssens (1952) and very recently by Dikow (2007). All known species are dealt with in this web-site, summarising our knowledge of taxonomy, diversity, biology, and distribution of these beautiful flies and providing diagnoses, descriptions, and identification keys for them. The many photographs, coloured distribution maps, and drawings of the male and female terminalia (= genitalia) make this LasiocnemusTool a comprehensive web-site for identification of these beautiful flies.

Species of Lasiocnemus are morphologically homogeneous and are separated mainly by the extent of pruinosity on the scutum, presence or absence of microtrichia in certain wing cells, and coloration of setae on the metathoracic legs. The variation in the extent of the light and dark coloration of the wings is considerable and therefore these characteristics were generally not used for species identification in contrast to earlier studies. The male terminalia of species of Lasiocnemus are very uniform and differ very little among the seven species in contrast to representatives of other genera of Leptogastrinae, e.g., Euscelidia.

This web-site is based on the recent taxonomic revision of Lasiocnemus by Dikow (2007) published in African Entomology.