Prevalence, seasonality and behaviour of Tabanidae (Diptera) captured on a horse in the Planalto Serrano of Santa Catarina State, Brazil

Abstract

The seasonality and behaviour of tabanids were studied in the Planalto Serrano of Santa Catarina State, Brazil. From March 2007 to February 2009, a total of 915 tabanid flies from 15 species and six genera were collected on an individual horse. The number of tabanid species varied from zero during autumn/winter to ten in summer (December -February). Dichelacera alcicornis Wied. (62.1%) was the most abundant species followed by Chrysops fusciapex Lutz (6.7%) and C. patricia Pechuman (5.9%). Peak catches occurred during the summer (December-March). The landing behaviour varied by genera: Chrysops (100%) preferred the head, Dichelacera (56.3%) the flanks, and Poecilodera (100%), Acanthocera (100%), Tabanus (58.8%) and Fidena (48.7%) the limbs region. This is the first work on tabanids in the Santa Catarina State, Brazil.

Tabanids in South America

“…The more common species captured in current surveys is Poeciloderas quandripunctatus on Central Amazon and on Maraca Island, Amazonian subregion, Guyana province [50,56]. The species was also captured in Tocantins, Brazil, Chacoan subregion, Cerrado province [77], and in southeastern Brazilian coastal zone and plateau, Parana subregion [59,63]. The species was also collected in open meadows, from 10:00 h until ca.…”

“…Buestán captured Chrysops variegatus in coastal zone of Ecuador, Western and Arid provinces, and Caribbean subregion [61]. Chrysops varians Wiedemann is another wide distributed species and has been captured from savannah of French Guiana [17], in pasture area in western Amazon [53], in the transition zone between the savannah and eastern Brazilian Amazon forest [58], in highlands of southeast Parana subregion [62,63], and in southern Pampa, province of Chaco subregion, in Brazil [60]. On Marambaia Island, southeast Parana subregion, Brazilian Atlantic Forest province, Chrysops variegatus and Chrysops varians were observed flying around the head and curling themselves on the hair of people who walk through forests or sandbanks [64,65].…”

“…[76]. Dichelacera alcicornis (Fabricius) was the most abundant species collected in highlands of southeast Parana subregion [62,63]. Dichelacera (Dichelacera) walteri Guimarães, Gorayeb and Rodrigues-Guimarães was described from specimens collected from August to September, on forest sandbanks from Marambaia Island, Parana subregion, Brazilian Atlantic Forest province, Rio de Janeiro [41].…”

“…In Parana subregion, a survey performed in Atlantic Forest, Marambaia Island, and southeastern Brazil, recorded 31 species of tabanids of genera Chrysops (two species), Esenbeckia, Scepsis, Fidena, Scaptia, Acanthocera, Catachlorops (two species), Chlorotabanus, Diachlorus (three species), Dichelacera (two species), Leucotabanus, Phaeotabanus (three species), Rhabdotylus (two species), Stigmatophtalmus, Poeciloderas, Tabanus (eight species); the most abundant species was Diachlorus bivittatus [64,65]. Also in Parana subregion, southeastern Brazilian plateau, were recorded species of Acanthocera (three), Chrysops (six), Dichelacera (three), Diachlorus, Fidena (two), Lepiselaga, Phaeotabanus, Poeciloderas, and Tabanus (eight) [59,63]. Dutra [152].…”

“…Wiedemann, Tabanus colombensis Macquart, Tabanus eldridgei Fairchild, Tabanus nebulosus ornativentris Kröber, and Tabanus wokei Fairchild[63]. Tabanus augustus Macquart, Tabanus claripennis (Bigot), Tabanus fuscus Wiedemann, and Tabanus triangulum Wiedemann were captured in coastal zone of Parana state, Brazilian Atlantic Forest[59].…”