Tabanus petiolatus
Hine, 1917
petiolate horse fly
Tabanus petiolatus is a of horse fly in the Tabanidae, characterized by distinctive sexually dimorphic coloration. Males possess a dark brown streak across the light-colored upper lenses of their , while females have uniformly dark brown eyes. The species occurs in the United States and is frequently confused with Tabanus melanocerus and Tabanus trimaculatus.
Pronunciation
How to pronounce Tabanus petiolatus: /tæˈbeɪ.nəs ˌpɛt.i.oʊˈleɪ.təs/
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Identification
Distinguished from similar Tabanus by the specific pattern of male coloration: the dark streak is located in the larger, upper lenses rather than distributed differently across the eye. Frequently confused with Tabanus melanocerus and Tabanus trimaculatus; careful examination of male eye pattern and female eye uniformity is required for accurate identification.
Appearance
Large-bodied horse fly with sexually dimorphic coloration. Males exhibit a dark brown streak across the light-colored upper lenses of their , with this pattern restricted to the larger, upper lenses. Females have uniformly dark brown eyes without such patterning. Body size and general typical of the Tabanus.
Distribution
United States
Similar Taxa
- Tabanus melanocerusFrequently confused with T. petiolatus; requires careful examination of coloration patterns for differentiation
- Tabanus trimaculatusFrequently confused with T. petiolatus; requires careful examination of coloration patterns for differentiation
More Details
Taxonomic Note
There is some discrepancy in authorship dates in the literature: Hine, 1917 is the accepted authority per GBIF and NCBI, though Szilády, 1926 appears in some sources as Atylotus petiolatus. Catalogue of Life lists this as an ambiguous synonym.