Discrimination of cryptic species: Tabanus triangulum and Tabanus occidentalis (Diptera: Tabanidae) differ in size and shape

Abstract

Horse fly females (Diptera, Tabanidae) are hematophagous and can vector pathogens that affect livestock. Complexes of cryptic species are common in Tabanidae, as exemplified by some species of Tabanus, including Tabanus triangulum and Tabanus occidentalis, both prevalent in the Southern region of Brazil. In this study, geometric morphometrics were employed to ascertain the wing venation in species identification. It was demonstrated that this tool effectively differentiates T. triangulum from T. occidentalis in the coastal plain of Rio Grande do Sul state, situated within the Pampa biome. The results indicate that T. triangulum and T. occidentalis occupy distinct regions of the morphological space, allowing their precise identification through geometric morphometrics, which is fast, affordable, and easy to implement.