Tabanidae

Krolow, Tiago K., do Carmo, Daniel Dias D., Oliveira, Lia P. & Henriques, Augusto L., 2024, The Tabanidae (Diptera) in Brazil: Historical aspects, diversity and distribution, Zoologia (e 23074) 41, pp. 1-16 : 3

Brazilian Tabanidae fauna

Brazilian Tabanidae represent about 10% of the world fauna. A total of 496 valid species in three subfamilies, seven tribes ( Fig. 1 ) and 44 genera are recorded from Brazil, with 230 species (46.3%) endemic to the country ( Table 1). Tabaninae is the most diverse subfamily with 351 species (70.7%), of which 156 (31.45%) are endemic to Brazil ( Fig. 2 ). The second is Pangoniinae with 113 species (22.78%) and 68 endemic species (13.71%) ( Fig. 2 ). The least diverse is Chrysopsinae with 32 species (6.45%) and six endemic species (1.21%) ( Fig. 2 ).

The most diverse tribes belong to Tabaninae; the first is Diachlorini with 268 species (54.0%) and 138 endemic species (27.82%), the second is Tabanini with 83 species (16.7%) and 18 endemic species (3.63%) ( Fig. 3 ). Next, the tribe Scionini has 77 species (15.5%) and 50 endemic species (10.08%) ( Fig. 3 ). The Rhinomyzini and Scepsini tribes have only one Neotropical representative each, but none endemic to Brazil ( Fig. 3 ).

Tabanus Linnaeus is the most speciose genus with 77 species (15.5%), followed by Fidena Walker 64 spp. (12.9%), Catachlorops Lutz 49 spp. (9.8%), Dichelacera Macquart 39 spp. (7.8%), and Chrysops Meigen 31 spp. (6.2%) ( Table 1). Another 23 genera have less than 30 species, while 16 other genera are represented by only one species in Brazil ( Table 1). Nine genera occur exclusively in Brazil: Lepmia Fairchild (2 spp.) and Protosilvius Enderlein (6 spp.), and the monospecific genera Anaerythrops Barretto , Elephantotus Gorayeb , Erioneura Barretto , Leptapha Enderlein , Muscotabanus Henriques & Krolow , Oopelma Enderlein , and Stigmatophthalmus Lutz.

Figures

Figure 1. Some Tabanidae of Brazil: (A) Chrysopsini, Chrysops variegatus, photo S. Dantas; (B) Rhinomyzini, Betrequia ocellata, photo F.F. Xavier; (C) Pangoniini, Esenbeckia sp., photo M. Zamoner; (D) Scepsini, Scepsis appendiculata, photo D. Luiz; (E) Scionini, Fidena pseudoaurimaculata, photo S. Dantas; (F) Diachlorini, Acanthocera marginalis, photo S. Dantas; (G) Diachlorini, Chlorotabanus leucochlorus, photo S. Dantas; (H) Tabanini, Tabanus mucronatus, photo S. Dantas.

Figures 2–3. Number of species and endemic species of Tabanidae in Brazil: (2) subfamilies; (3) tribes.