Oligopogon Loew, 1847

Londt, Jason G. H., 2013, A remarkable new genus of robber flies, Akatiomyia gen. n., from the Western Cape Province of South Africa, and a new key to the genera of Afrotropical Stenopogoninae (Diptera: Asilidae), African Invertebrates 54 (1), pp. 57-57 : 66

Taxonomic position of Oligopogon Loew, 1847

The systematic position of Oligopogon has been adequately summarized by GellerGrimm and Hradský (2003) who also reviewed the Palaearctic fauna.Although there have been arguments for its inclusion in no fewer than three subfamilies ( Stenopogoninae , Stichopogoninae, Trigonomiminae ), these authors opted to classify it in the Stenopogoninae , an action repeated by Geller-Grimm (2004). Dikow (2009) undertook an extensive phylogenetic study involving representatives of 158 species in 140 genera and was unable to clarify the placement of Oligopogon , regarding the genus as incertae sedis. It appears, therefore, that until studies indicate otherwise, the genus should continue to be assigned to the Stenopogoninae . I am of the opinion that the possession of acanthophorites, indicative of a biological strategy clearly aligned with the Stenopogoninae , is strong evidence in support of its placement in this subfamily.