An illustrated list for the Tabanidae (Diptera: Brachycera) from thirteen localities of the São Paulo state and redescription of Catachlorops (Amphichlorops) flavus (Wiedemann)

ABSTRACT

The family Tabanidae (Diptera: Brachycera) is composed of flies commonly known as horse flies and deer flies. The family is cosmopolitan and possesses both economic and conservation interests. The females are hematophagous attacking a variety of animals, including cattle, but both females and males from several genera are flower visitors. Despite the fauna of São Paulo being largely explored due to historical factors, several species of Tabanidae in the state are still poorly known. Several are known only from the type series, and information from the literature is limited to old, sometimes inadequate descriptions and drawings. Herein we provide an illustrated list, based on the literature and specimens collected in thirteen localities from São Paulo state. For all the identified specimens we provide high-definition images from different views. Important diagnostic features for each species are supplied to facilitate the identification of the species in the region. We report five new records for São Paulo state: Catachlorops (Amphichlorops) flavus (Wiedemann), Dichelacera rubricosa (Wulp), Leucotabanus sebastianus Fairchild, Phaeotabanus aphanopterus (Wiedemann), Tabanus schadei Fairchild and one for Brazil: D. rubricosa. Also, C. flavus is redescribed along with the description of the male.

KEYWORDS:

• Atlantic forest
• Cerrado
• horse flies
• deer flies

Acknowledgments

The authors thank Carlos José Einicker Lamas (MZUSP), José Albertino Rafael (INPA), Peter Sehnal (NMW) and Emily Hartop (MNHB) for allowing us to study the collections under their guard.

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).

Additional information

Funding

This study was funded by the Brazilian Program of Capacitation in taxonomy (Protax) [FAPESP, process no. 2021/08713-2]; and CNPq, process no. [441815/2020-0]. Both authors thanks CNPq [MCPD, grant no. 2022-1222; DDDC grant no. 151354/2022-7]. MCPD further thanks FAPESP [Grant no. 2022/16744-8] for the grant received.