Leucotabanus exaestuans (Linnaeus, 1758)

(Fig. 2 A–J)

Diagnosis. Size 10–14mm. Frontal index 5.27–5.75. It can be differentiated from other Leucotabanus species with narrow white bands on the dorsum of the abdomen, by the black femora, bicolored tibiae, pointed abdomen, black antenna and palpus, hyaline wing, brown to black pterostigma, pruinose subcallus, and tergite 5 usually without white traces. Very rarely, the postpedicel of female specimens can be orange.

Comments. L. exaestuans is the most common species and most broadly distributed species in the genus. L. exaestuans has been captured both in primary forest areas and in open areas. It attacks horses on the head near the ear and tapirs ( Tapirus terrestris) on the lumbar region at a higher frequency (pers. obs.). The species may also oc- casionally attack man. The male of L. exaestuans, in which the postpedicel is orange, was described by Macquart (1846) as Tabanus albicans Macquart, 1846, and more recently by Coscarón (1976). The catalog of Coscarón & Papavero (2009) states that the holotype of L. albicans is a female, but according to the original description and Chainey (1990) it is a male.

Material examined. VENEZUELA, Monagas, Caripito (♀ AMNH); TRINIDAD, Saint George (♀ and 2 ♂ AMNH) ; SURINAME (♀ AMNH); BRAZIL, Roraima, Maracá island (♀ INPA) ; idem, Pacaraima (♀ INPA) ; Amapá, Serra do Navio (♀ MPEG) ; idem, Macapá (♀ MPEG) ; Pará, Abaetetuba (♀ INPA) ; idem, Benevides (♀ INPA) ; idem, Breves (♀ MPEG) ; idem, Conceição do Araguaia (♀ INPA) ; idem, Marabá (♀ MPEG) ; idem, Marituba (♀ AMNH) ; idem, Monte Dourado (♀ MPEG); idem, Oriximiná (♀ INPA) ; idem, Peixe-Boi (♀ MPEG) ; idem, Serra Norte (♀ MPEG); idem, Tucurui (♀ MPEG) ; idem, Tumucumaque (♀ MPEG) ; Amazonas, Benjamin Constant (♀ AMNH) ; idem, Amaná lake (♀ INPA) ; idem, Manaus and vicinities (30 ♀ and 2 ♂ INPA) ; idem, Maturacá (♀ INPA) ; idem, Parque Nacional do Jaú (♀ INPA) ; idem, Urucu river (♀ INPA) ; idem, São Gabriel da Cachoeira (♀ INPA) ; idem, Tabatinga (♀ INPA) ; Maranhão, Imperatriz (♀ MPEG) ; Tocantins, Filadélfia (♀ MPEG) ; idem, Araguacema (♀ INPA) ; Acre, Cruzeiro do Sul (♀ INPA); idem, Porto Acre (♀ MPEG); Rondônia, Ariquemes (♀ INPA) ; idem, Ouro Preto do Oeste (♀ INPA) ; idem, Guajará-Mirim (♀ INPA) ; idem, Ji-Paraná (♀ MPEG) ; Mato Grosso, Chapada dos Guimarães (2 ♀ AMNH); idem, Serra das Araras (♀ MPEG); Goiás, Goiânia (♀ AMNH) ; Mato Grosso do Sul, Pantanal (♀ MPEG); Bahia, Porto Seguro (♀ MPEG); Paraná, Caviuna (♀ AMNH) ; idem, Terra Boa (♀ INPA); Santa Catarina, Nova Teutônia (♀ AMNH); PERU, Loreto (♀ AMNH); Cuzco, Quincemil (♀ AMNH) , Madre de Dios, Avispas (♀ AMNH); ARGENTINA, Salta (♀ INPA) .

Distribution. Southern Mexico to northern Argentina, except Antilles; Trinidad; Brazil.