Tabanidae
Guides
Chrysops vittatus
deer fly
Chrysops vittatus is a species of deer fly in the family Tabanidae, first described by Wiedemann in 1821. Like other members of the genus Chrysops, it is a biting fly known for its blood-feeding behavior. The species has been documented in laboratory life history studies alongside congeners C. atlanticus and C. univittatus. Specific field data on this species remains limited in the available sources.
Diachlorus
biting horseflies
Diachlorus is a genus of biting horseflies in the family Tabanidae, containing 27 neotropical species with highest diversity in Brazil. The genus includes the widespread species D. ferrugatus, which ranges from the southeastern United States to Costa Rica. Members are known for their blood-feeding behavior and distinct diel activity patterns.
Esenbeckia
horse-fly
Esenbeckia is a genus of horse-flies (family Tabanidae) established by Rondani in 1863. Members are characterized by large, often vividly colored compound eyes and robust body form typical of tabanid flies. The genus is distinct from the plant genus of the same name (family Rutaceae), which was described earlier by Kunth. Species within Esenbeckia are found in the Americas and are diurnal, fast-flying insects.
Esenbeckia delta
Esenbeckia delta is a species of horse fly in the family Tabanidae. Originally described as Pangonia delta by Hine in 1920, it was later transferred to the genus Esenbeckia. The species is known from the United States and Mexico. Like other tabanids, adults are likely blood-feeders, though specific host associations remain undocumented.
Esenbeckia tinkhami
A species of horse fly in the family Tabanidae, described by Philip in 1954. Known from limited records in the southwestern United States.
Goniops
Goniops is a monotypic genus of horse flies in the family Tabanidae, containing the single species Goniops chrysocoma. The genus was established by Aldrich in 1892 and is classified in the subfamily Pangoniinae and tribe Goniopsini. It is endemic to North America.
Goniops chrysocoma
Golden-haired Horse Fly
Goniops chrysocoma is the sole species in the monotypic genus Goniops, a horse fly in the family Tabanidae. It is found in North America, with records from the United States including Vermont. The species is characterized by its distinctive golden-haired appearance, which contributes to its common name. As a member of the horse fly family, it belongs to a group of blood-feeding flies known for their painful bites and ecological significance as pollinators and prey for other animals.
Haematopota americana
horse fly
Haematopota americana is a species of horse fly in the family Tabanidae, first described by Osten Sacken in 1875. It belongs to a genus known for blood-feeding females that are persistent pests of mammals, including humans and livestock. The species is recorded from the United States, though specific details about its biology and ecology remain limited in published literature. Like other horse flies, it likely has aquatic or semi-aquatic larval stages and terrestrial adults.
Hamatabanus exilipalpis
Hamatabanus exilipalpis is a species of horse fly in the family Tabanidae. It belongs to the genus Hamatabanus, a group of biting flies distributed primarily in the Neotropical region. The species is poorly documented in scientific literature, with only three observation records currently available on iNaturalist. Like other tabanids, adults are likely to be diurnal and females may require blood meals for egg development, though specific biological details remain unverified.
Hybomitra aequetincta
Hybomitra aequetincta is a species of horse fly in the family Tabanidae. It belongs to the genus Hybomitra, a group known for fast-flying, robust-bodied flies. The species was described by Becker in 1900. Like other horse flies, adults are likely to be diurnal and females are presumed to be blood-feeders, though specific details for this species are poorly documented. It is among the lesser-known members of a genus containing some of the fastest flying insects recorded.
Hybomitra affinis
moose-fly
A horse fly species in the family Tabanidae, commonly known as the moose-fly. Females bite while males do not. It is among the most abundant and widely distributed Tabanidae species in Canada, occurring in woodland habitats where it serves as an important pest of humans and other mammals.
Hybomitra astuta
horse fly
Hybomitra astuta is a species of horse fly in the family Tabanidae. It belongs to a genus known for containing some of the fastest-flying insects. The species has been documented in parts of North America and northern Europe. Like other horse flies, adults are likely blood-feeding, though specific details for this species remain limited.
Hybomitra aurilimbus
Hybomitra aurilimbus is a species of horse fly in the family Tabanidae. The genus Hybomitra includes species known for exceptionally fast flight speeds. Hybomitra aurilimbus has been documented in North America. Adult females are blood-feeders, while males feed on nectar.
Hybomitra captonis
horse fly
Hybomitra captonis is a species of horse fly in the family Tabanidae. The species is distributed across northern North America, including Canada and the United States. As a member of the genus Hybomitra, it belongs to a group known for rapid flight capabilities, though specific speed records for this species have not been documented.
Hybomitra cincta
Hybomitra cincta is a species of horse fly in the family Tabanidae. It is distributed across Canada and the United States, with records from Vermont and other regions. As a member of the horse fly genus Hybomitra, it shares the family's characteristic blood-feeding behavior by females and the robust, agile flying morphology typical of tabanids.
Hybomitra difficilis
Hybomitra difficilis is a species of horse fly in the family Tabanidae, first described by Wiedemann in 1828. The species has been the subject of detailed anatomical studies examining the sensory structures associated with its feeding apparatus. The feeding tube consists of a short distal vestibule followed by a food canal leading to the cibarium, with distinct sensilla arrangements that have been statistically characterized. Like other horse flies, adults are likely blood-feeding, though specific host associations and ecological details remain poorly documented.
Hybomitra epistates
Epistate Horse Fly
Hybomitra epistates is a horse fly species in the family Tabanidae, commonly known as the Epistate Horse Fly. It occurs in northern North America, with records from Canada and the United States. As a member of the genus Hybomitra, it belongs to a group noted for including some of the fastest-flying insects. The species is documented through limited observation records, with 56 observations reported on iNaturalist.
Hybomitra frontalis
horse fly
Hybomitra frontalis is a Nearctic horse fly species in the family Tabanidae. It is among the most widely distributed, abundant, and troublesome biters of animals and humans in North America. The species exhibits extreme variation in color and size across its range, particularly in Canadian populations from Nova Scotia, Labrador, and central Manitoba. Taxonomic relationships within the H. frontalis complex have been debated for over a century, with five nominal species described from regional populations.
Hybomitra illota
horse fly
Hybomitra illota is a horse fly species in the family Tabanidae. Males form aggregations in forest clearings, exhibiting a "perch-and-pursue" mating behavior where they chase flying insects overhead. This species occurs in temperate North America, with documented populations in Canada and the United States.
Hybomitra lurida
Broad-headed Horse Fly
Hybomitra lurida is a large horse-fly species in the family Tabanidae, measuring 12–15 millimetres in length. It is distributed across central and northern Europe, Asia, and North America including Canada, Alaska, and portions of the contiguous United States. Adults are active during summer months and are frequently associated with cattle in open landscapes.
Hybomitra melanorhina
horse fly
Hybomitra melanorhina is a species of horse fly in the family Tabanidae, first described by Bigot in 1892. It belongs to a genus of large, robust biting flies known for their rapid flight. Like other horse flies, females are blood-feeders while males feed on nectar and pollen. The species has been documented in northern North America.
Hybomitra microcephala
horse fly
Hybomitra microcephala is a species of horse fly in the family Tabanidae. It occurs in northern North America, with records from Canada and the United States. As a member of the genus Hybomitra, it belongs to a group of large, biting flies commonly known as deer flies or horse flies, recognized for their robust bodies and prominent compound eyes.
Hybomitra minuscula
Hybomitra minuscula is a species of horse fly in the family Tabanidae, originally described as Tabanus minusculus by Hine in 1907. It belongs to the genus Hybomitra, a diverse group of biting flies distributed primarily in the Holarctic region. Like other tabanids, adults are likely to be blood-feeding, though specific ecological details for this species remain poorly documented. The species has been recorded in North America.
Hybomitra opaca
Hybomitra opaca is a species of horse fly in the family Tabanidae, described by Coquillett in 1904. Like other members of its genus, it belongs to a group of robust, fast-flying flies known for their biting behavior. The species is classified within the tribe Tabanini and subfamily Tabaninae. Specific details about its biology, distribution, and ecology remain poorly documented in available sources.
Hybomitra procyon
horse fly
Hybomitra procyon is a species of horse fly in the family Tabanidae, first described by Osten Sacken in 1877. It belongs to the genus Hybomitra, a group of large, biting flies commonly known as horse flies or deer flies. The species occurs in North America, with documented records from Canada and the United States. Like other members of its family, it is presumed to have biting mouthparts and a life cycle involving aquatic or semi-aquatic larval stages, though specific biological details for this species remain poorly documented.
Hybomitra rupestris
horse fly
Hybomitra rupestris is a species of horse fly in the family Tabanidae. It is distributed across northern North America, including Canada and the United States. Like other horse flies, females are blood-feeders while males feed on nectar. The species is relatively poorly documented in scientific literature.
Hybomitra sodalis
White-arrowed Horse Fly
Hybomitra sodalis is a species of horse fly in the family Tabanidae, commonly known as the White-arrowed Horse Fly. It belongs to a genus of large, fast-flying tabanid flies. The species was described by Williston in 1887. Like other horse flies, females are blood-feeders while males feed on nectar and pollen. The genus Hybomitra includes some of the fastest flying insects known.
Hybomitra sonomensis
horse fly
Hybomitra sonomensis is a species of horse fly in the family Tabanidae. It belongs to a species group that has been subject to taxonomic revision, with Hybomitra philipi now synonymized with it. The species occurs in western North America. It has been historically confused with related species, particularly Hybomitra enigmatica, which was described as a new species based on immature stages and adult morphology.
Leucotabanus
White Horse Flies
Leucotabanus is a genus of horse flies (family Tabanidae) established by Lutz in 1913. The genus comprises approximately 16 described species distributed primarily in the Neotropical region, with particular diversity in the Amazon basin. Members are commonly referred to as White Horse Flies. Species-level taxonomy has been revised in recent decades, with several species described by Fairchild in the mid-20th century and a new species, L. fairchildi, described in 2019.
Leucotabanus annulatus
Leucotabanus annulatus is a species of horse fly in the family Tabanidae. It belongs to the tribe Diachlorini within the subfamily Tabaninae. The species was described by Thomas Say in 1823. It is found in the United States, though specific details about its biology and ecology remain poorly documented in available sources.
Merycomyia
deer flies
Merycomyia is a genus of deer flies in the family Tabanidae, established by Hine in 1912. The genus contains two recognized species: Merycomyia whitneyi and Merycomyia brunnea, both endemic to North America. Members of this genus are biting flies in the subfamily Chrysopsinae, tribe Bouvieromyiini.
Microtabanus
Microtabanus is a genus of horse flies in the family Tabanidae, established by Lutz in 1922. The genus contains at least one described species, M. pygmaeus. It belongs to the tribe Diachlorini within the subfamily Tabaninae. Very little is known about the biology or ecology of this poorly documented genus.
Microtabanus pygmaeus
Microtabanus pygmaeus is a species of horse fly in the family Tabanidae, described by Samuel Wendell Williston in 1887. It belongs to the genus Microtabanus, which comprises small-bodied tabanid flies. The species epithet 'pygmaeus' refers to its diminutive size relative to other horse flies. Like other members of the family, adults likely possess the large compound eyes and piercing-sucking mouthparts characteristic of blood-feeding female tabanids, though specific biological details remain poorly documented.
Neochrysops
horse flies
Neochrysops is a genus of horse flies in the family Tabanidae, subfamily Chrysopsinae. The genus was established by Walton in 1918 and is known from the United States. Only one species, Neochrysops globosus, has been described. As a member of the deer fly tribe Chrysopsini, adults likely share the blood-feeding habits typical of this group, though specific biological details remain poorly documented.
Neochrysops globosus
Neochrysops globosus is a species of deer fly in the family Tabanidae, first described by Walton in 1918. The genus Neochrysops is a small group within the subfamily Chrysopsinae, closely related to the more widespread genus Chrysops. As a member of Tabanidae, this species is presumed to share the blood-feeding habits typical of female deer flies, though specific biological details remain poorly documented. The species epithet "globosus" suggests a rounded or globular body form.
Pangoniinae
Long-tongue Horse Flies
Pangoniinae is a subfamily of horse-flies (family Tabanidae, order Diptera) comprising seven tribes and over 40 genera. Members are distinguished from other Tabanidae by the presence of ocelli and an antennal flagellum typically bearing eight rings. The subfamily includes some of the most primitive known Tabanidae, with most species being low-flying and non-bloodfeeding. Australian Pangoniinae show east coastal distribution with a secondary center in Western Australia.
Pangoniini
horse flies
Pangoniini is a tribe of horse flies (Tabanidae) within the subfamily Pangoniinae, containing some of the most morphologically primitive members of the family. Species exhibit diverse feeding strategies: some females are haematophagous (blood-feeding) while males and certain species are nectarophagous (nectar-feeding), as determined by mouthpart morphology. The tribe shows progressive evolutionary reduction in female mandibles and structural modifications of antennal and tibial characters. Australian members are predominantly low-flying insects that do not suck blood, contrasting with Chilean species that include both blood-feeding and non-blood-feeding forms.
horse-fliesTabanidaePangoniinaeprimitivesexual-dimorphismfeeding-plasticityAustraliaChilescanning-electron-microscopymouthpart-morphologymicropilositymandible-reductionantennal-segmentationtibial-spurslow-flyingnectarophagoushaematophagousEsenbeckiaProtodasyaphaVepriusEctenopsisAustroplexCaenoprosoponTherevopangoniaSilvius abdominalis
Silvius abdominalis is a species of deer fly in the family Tabanidae, first described by Philip in 1954. The species is classified within the subgenus Griseosilvius of the genus Silvius. Like other deer flies, females are blood-feeders while males feed on nectar. The species is known from the United States.
Silvius jeanae
Silvius jeanae is a species of horse fly in the family Tabanidae, described by Pechuman in 1960. The genus Silvius belongs to the subfamily Pangoniinae, a group of horse flies characterized by elongated mouthparts adapted for nectar feeding in many species. Like other members of the genus, S. jeanae likely exhibits the slender body form and reduced eye contact typical of Pangoniinae. The species epithet honors an individual named Jeana, following the pattern of several Silvius species named after women.
Silvius pollinosus
horse fly, deer fly
Silvius pollinosus is a species of horse fly in the family Tabanidae, first described by Williston in 1880. It belongs to the subfamily Chrysopsinae and is classified within the genus Silvius. The species is known from the United States, though specific details about its biology remain limited.
Silvius sayi
Silvius sayi is a species of deer fly in the family Tabanidae, described by Brennan in 1935. It belongs to the subfamily Chrysopsinae, which includes the deer flies and horse flies. The species is placed in the genus Silvius, a group of biting flies known for their blood-feeding habits. Information about this specific species is limited in available sources.
Stenotabanus psammophilus
Stenotabanus psammophilus is a species of horse fly in the family Tabanidae, first described by Osten Sacken in 1876. The species epithet 'psammophilus' (sand-loving) suggests an association with sandy environments. It is known from the United States, with 48 observations recorded on iNaturalist. Like other horse flies, females are presumed to be blood-feeders, though specific biological details remain poorly documented.
Stonemyia
Stonemyia is a genus of horse flies in the family Tabanidae, established by Brennan in 1935. The genus contains approximately twelve described species distributed across North America, Europe, and Asia. Species within this genus are known to visit flowers for nectar feeding.
Stonemyia californica
Stonemyia californica is a species of horse fly in the family Tabanidae, first described by Bigot in 1892. The species is distributed across western North America, with records from Canada, the United States, and Mexico. As a member of the subfamily Pangoniinae, it belongs to a group of flies characterized by elongated mouthparts adapted for nectar feeding rather than blood-feeding.
Stonemyia isabellina
Stonemyia isabellina is a species of horse fly in the family Tabanidae, first described by Wiedemann in 1828. It belongs to the subfamily Pangoniinae and tribe Pangoniini. The species has been documented in the United States, though detailed biological information remains limited.
Stonemyia tranquilla
peaceful stonian horsefly
Stonemyia tranquilla is a non-biting horsefly species in the family Tabanidae, notable for being one of the few tabanid flies that does not require blood meals for reproduction. The species reaches approximately 1.5 cm in length and is distinguished from its relatives by its non-hematophagous biology. It occurs primarily in northeastern North America, with scattered records extending south to North Carolina and west to the Midwest.
Tabaninae
horse flies
Tabaninae is a subfamily within the family Tabanidae, commonly known as horse flies. It comprises more than 3,000 described species distributed across multiple tribes including Diachlorini, Haematopotini, and Tabanini. The subfamily contains eight genera in Croatia alone, with Tabanus being the most diverse genus globally. Female horse flies are blood-feeders and significant pests of livestock, causing production losses through blood loss and nuisance biting. They also serve as mechanical vectors of animal and human pathogens including viruses, bacteria, protozoa, and helminths.
Tabanus aegrotus
Tabanus aegrotus is a species of horse fly in the family Tabanidae, described by Osten Sacken in 1877. It is distributed across northern North America, including Canada and the United States. As a member of the genus Tabanus, it shares the general characteristics of large, robust biting flies with prominent compound eyes. The species is recognized as valid by GBIF and NCBI, though Catalogue of Life lists it as a synonym.
Tabanus caenosus
Tabanus caenosus is a species of horse fly in the family Tabanidae, described by Burger in 1974. As a member of the genus Tabanus, it belongs to a group of large, robust flies known for their blood-feeding females and strong flight capabilities. The species is recognized as valid by GBIF and iNaturalist, though records remain sparse with only three observations documented on iNaturalist.
Tabanus calens
Devoted Horse Fly
Tabanus calens is a species of horse fly in the family Tabanidae. It is distributed across Canada and the United States. Two subspecies are recognized: T. c. calens and T. c. giganteus. Males of this species exhibit distinctive hovering and swarming behavior.