Tabanus atratus

Adults of this species reach 20-25 mm in length. The flies can be entirely black, including the wings, or dark brown to blackish purple. Tabanus atratus have large compound eyes, which are dichoptic (separated) in females, and holoptic (continuous) in males. They have prominent mouthparts, which are easily distinguishable: The fascicle is made of six piercing organs. Starting from the outside, there are 2 flattened, bladelike mandibles with tooth like serrations used for cutting. Two narrow maxillae also serrated used to pierce the tissue and blood vessels of the host, a median hypopharynx and a median labrum-epipharynx. The hypopharynx and labrum-epipharynx make up the food canal, while the labrum is a large sponge like organ used to lap up blood (Roberts and Janovy, 2000). Short stout hairs cover the body, and wing venation is pronounced. Larva of Tabanus atratus are similar to the larvae of all other horseflies. Larvae can be white to tan, while possessing a slender, cylindrical body, which tapers at the head. (Strother, 2000) Like other tabanids, the larva of the black horsefly has twelve segments and a retractable tracheal siphon used for respiration. The retractable head of the larva has two sharp mandibles that can cause a painful bite (Roberts and Janovy, 2000). The pupae have a series of spines sticking out from the abdominal segments, and usually exhibit little movement (Hutchinson, 1999).

No narrative description available for this taxon yet.