Tabanidae

Culicidae
Kingdom	Animalia
Phylum	Arthropoda
Class	Insecta
Order	Diptera
Sub-order	Brachycera
Family	Tabanidae

Introduction

Also known as:

Horse flies

Tabanidae flies are found throughout the world and although commonly being known as the horse fly they attack a wide variety of animals including humans. There are several genus of veterinary importance;

• Tabanus
• Chrysops - also known as deerflies
• Haematopota - also known as clegs

Recognition

Adults

Tabanidae flies are large flies, up to 2.5cm long with bodies that are usually dark in colour. The dark bodies may have stripes or patches of colour down them or be entirely coloured in some cases. They have broad heads with biting mouth parts and bulging eyes that are often brightly coloured. The mouthparts are adapted to biting a sucking blood, and always point downwards. They consist of paired mandibles and maxillae which are used for cutting and rasping to create a feeding hole. Blood is then sucked using a protruding hypopharynx. The mouthparts are short and deal roughly with the host, this is often the cause of pain for the host. Only females take a blood meal, males lack mandibles and may only feed on honeydew and nectar. The wings of Tabanidae flies have a distinctive venation. The antennae are all in three segments but differ between the 3 important veterinary genus.

Larvae

Tabanidae larvae are large, 1.5 - 3cm in length with large biting mandibles. They are off white in colour with longitudinal striations on the cuticle. There are paired unsegmented appendages, psuedopods, along the body to assist in movement. The posterior of the larvae usually has a respiratory siphon present.

Eggs

Eggs are an off white colour and cigar shaped. They can be between 1 - 3 mm long.

Life Cycle

• Eggs laid on leaves overhanging water

• Larvae drop into water

• 1 year later larvae emerge onto dry land to pupate

• Adult flies emerge a few weeks after pupating

• Life cycle takes over 1 year to complete

Pathogenesis

• Most active on hot, sunny days

• Locate prey by sight

• Cause painful irritating bites

• Mechanical vectors for many diseases
  • Bacteria such as anthrax and pasteurellosis
  • Viruses such as Equine infectious anaemia and African horse sickness
  • Rickettsiales, such as anaplasmosis

• Intermediate hosts for some trypanosome diseases