Tabanidae (Horse Flies) - Southern Africa's Boletim

The Manual of Afrotropical Diptera provides an up-to-date, well-illustrated, interpretable means for identifying families and genera of two-winged flies of the continental Afrotropical Region. The Tabanidae chapter is found in vol. 2. There are several photos and illustrations and a key to genera.
https://www.nhm.ac.uk/content/dam/nhmwww/our-science/our-work/biodiversity/manual-afrotropical-diptera/manual-afrotropical-diptera-volume-two

Snyman et al: Overview of the horseflies (Diptera: Tabanidae) of South Africa: assessment of major collections for spatiotemporal analysis. May 2020; Austral Entomology 59(3)
https://repository.up.ac.za/bitstream/handle/2263/77247/Snyman_Overview_2020.pdf?sequence=1&isAllowed=y

The supporting information contains a checklist for all Tabanidae species recorded in South Africa:
https://repository.up.ac.za/bitstream/handle/2263/77247/Snyman_OverviewSuppl_2020.pdf?sequence=2

Mugasa CM, Villinger J, Gitau J, Ndungu N, Ciosi M, Masiga D (2018) Morphological re-description and molecular identification of Tabanidae (Diptera) in East Africa. ZooKeys 769: 117-144.
https://zookeys.pensoft.net/article/21144/

There are photos of several Tabanids that are also common in Southern Africa

Usher PJ (1972) A review of the South African horsefly fauna (Diptera: Tabanidae). Annals of the Natal Museum 21
https://journals.co.za/doi/pdf/10.10520/AJA03040798_662

This paper reviews the Tabanidae known to occur in South Africa, Lesotho, Eswatini, Botswana and Namibia; the species are listed, the localities in which they have been found are grouped according to a system of climatic regions, and the distribution data are summarized in table form. It is a commented check list.

Chainey, J.E. 1983. Afrotropical Tabanidae (Diptera): The genus Philoliche Wiedemann, subgenus Ommatiosteres Enderlein. Annals of the Natal Museum 25 (2)
https://journals.co.za/doi/pdf/10.10520/AJA03040798_497

This paper provides an identification key to the subgenus Ommatiosteres.

TAIOE, M. O., MOTLOANG, M. Y., NAMANGALA, B., CHOTA, A., MOLEFE, N. I., MUSINGUZI, S. P., … THEKISOE, O. M. M. (2017). Characterization of tabanid flies (Diptera: Tabanidae) in South Africa and Zambia and detection of protozoan parasites they are harbouring. Parasitology, 144(09)
https://sci-hub.st/10.1017/S0031182017000440

There are illustrations of tabanid flies from KZN, South Africa:
Ancala africana, Atylotus agrestis, Atylotus fuscipes, Atylotus nigromaculatus, Philoliche aethiopica, Tabanus gratus, Tabanus taeniatus, Tabanus laverani, Tabanus par, Tabanus taeniola

Mugasa CM, Villinger J, Gitau J, Ndungu N, Ciosi M, Masiga D (2018) Morphological re-description and molecular identification of Tabanidae (Diptera) in East Africa. ZooKeys 769: 117-144. https://doi.org/10.3897/zookeys.769.21144
https://www.researchgate.net/publication/325995555_Morphological_re-description_and_molecular_identification_of_Tabanidae_Diptera_in_East_Africa

Identification, documentation and description of Tabanidae in East Africa - there are good illustrations of some widespread Afrotropical tabanids.

Williams KA, Snyman LP (2021) Tabanidae (Diptera) holotypes in the KwaZulu-Natal Museum collection: Part 1. Haematopota. African Invertebrates 62(2): 485-495. https://doi.org/10.3897/afrinvertebr.62.76103
https://africaninvertebrates.pensoft.net/article/76103/

Illustrations of several Haematopota species

Williams, Kirstin A.; Smit, Andeliza; Neves, Luís; Snyman, Louwtjie P. (2021). Evaluating the morphological and molecular challenges in identifying the afrotropical Atylotus species (Diptera: Tabanidae). Acta Tropica 226(5)
https://repository.up.ac.za/bitstream/handle/2263/83323/Williams_Evaluating_2022.pdf?sequence=1&isAllowed=y

Usher, J.P. (1965). Records and descriptions of Tabanidae from Southern Africa (Diptera). Annals of the Natal Museum 18.
https://journals.co.za/doi/pdf/10.10520/AJA03040798_756

Chainey, J.E. 1987. Afrotropical Tabanidae (Diptera): the genus Rhigioglossa Wiedemann, 1828 (including Mesomyia Macquart, 1850, as a subgenus). Annals of the Natal Museum 28.
https://journals.co.za/doi/pdf/10.10520/AJA03040798_420

Smit, A. 2019. Abundance, composition and barcoding of Tabanidae in Kruger National Park and screening for Besnoitia besnoiti
https://repository.up.ac.za/bitstream/handle/2263/76793/Smit_Abundance_2019.pdf?sequence=1

There are species pages (with photos, diagnosis and distribution maps) for tabanids collected at Skukuza, Lower Sabie and Orpen in KNP

Morita, Shelah 2008. A Revision of the Philoliche aethiopica Species Complex (Diptera: Tabanidae), African Invertebrates, 49(1)
https://bioone.org/journalArticle/Download?urlId=10.5733%2Fafin.049.0105

Neave, S. (1912). Notes on the blood-sucking insects of Eastern Tropical Africa. Bulletin of Entomological Research, 3(3), 275-323. doi:10.1017/S0007485300001942
https://zenodo.org/record/2371129/files/article.pdf

There are colour plates with high quality illustrations containing also some tabanids distributed in Southern Africa: Euancala maculatissima, Tabanus leucostomus, Tabanus variabilis, Tabanus gratus, Chrysops distinctipennis

Surcouf JMR, Ricardo G. (1909): Etude monographique des Tabanides d'Afrique (groupe des ''Tabanus''). Paris: Masson et Cie.
https://www.biodiversitylibrary.org/item/175737#page/9/mode/1up

Key, species descriptions, many text figures

There are numerous colour plates with Tabanidae photos
https://www.biodiversitylibrary.org/item/175737#page/273/mode/1up

Larger species (15.5-17 mm). Black. Only faint pale streaks on the thorax, and face shiny white. Proboscis short (4.8mm), abdomen black with an irregular shaped white band on T2 and interrupted bands on T5 and T6 (or T4, T5 and T6) of variable extent, can be only small stripes on the sides of the abdomen. Wings dark brown-grey.

Common pollinator in the Cape (fynbos & Karoo). Distributed from Cape Town to Namaqualand, and as far east as Gqeberh. Common in museum collections.

Photo of syntype (MNHN):
https://science.mnhn.fr/institution/mnhn/collection/ed/item/ed6562?listIndex=68
https://www.gbif.org/occurrence/1265038279

Illustration by Austen:
https://www.biodiversitylibrary.org/item/75729#page/251/mode/1up

Description by Wiedemann
https://www.biodiversitylibrary.org/item/50649#page/139/mode/1up

Description by Loew
https://www.biodiversitylibrary.org/item/35325#page/38/mode/1up

The form sexfasciata has been described by Walker:
Walker, F. 1848. List of the specimens of dipterous insects in the collection of the British Museum. Part 1. British Museum, London.
https://www.biodiversitylibrary.org/item/119311#page/146/mode/1up
In this form, the abdomen has six white bands on the hind borders of the segments; the first, second, fourth, and fifth entire; the third obsolete on each side ; the sixth obsolete in the middle.

Philoliche angulata form sexfasciata illustrated in Austen:
https://www.biodiversitylibrary.org/item/75729#page/249/mode/1up

Observations on iNat:
https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/65139640
https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/10794134

Blackish species. Face white. Abdomen with characteristic pattern on T2: a large white spot interrupted by a dark median spot and two similar lateral spots. All tergites have a small white transverse band on the border and have small white marginal spots that form a narrow serrated lateral band.

Original description by Loew:
https://www.biodiversitylibrary.org/item/35325#page/59/mode/1up

Description by Surcouf:
https://www.biodiversitylibrary.org/item/175737#page/177/mode/1up
Fig 8: https://www.biodiversitylibrary.org/item/175737#page/277/mode/1up

Illustrated in Neave 1912. Plate X, fig. 7:
https://zenodo.org/record/2371129/files/article.pdf

Illustrated in Austen 1909:
https://www.biodiversitylibrary.org/item/75729#page/263/mode/1up

iNat observations here:
https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/144687113
https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/68487486

This species has a dusky unicolorous eye in the female, but males have the upper part of the eye of various shades of shining grey or greyish bronze.
Face white. Thorax with white longitudinal lines. R 4 with appendix. Abdomen blackish brown with 2 longitudinal stripes of oval grey separated spots (slanted like slashes). Ventral side with white pollen and hairs.
Widespread in the Afrotropical region.

Original description by Loew:
https://www.biodiversitylibrary.org/item/35325#page/61/mode/1up

Illustrated in Neave 1912. Plate X, fig. 3&4:
https://zenodo.org/record/2371129/files/article.pdf

iNat observation here:
https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/10878647

The thorax is brown with tufts of goden hair on the sides and golden hairs on the bottom. The abdomen has two pairs of lateral white tufts and three median, golden triangles.

Original description by Austen:
https://www.biodiversitylibrary.org/page/24295930#page/245/mode/1up

Illustrated in Austen 1909:
https://www.biodiversitylibrary.org/item/75729#page/249/mode/1up

iNat observation here:
https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/11086733

Small black or blackish brown species (length 13 to 14 mm), with dorsum of main portion of thorax (scutum) marked by two dull longitudinal stripes, tawny-olive, sharply defined and conspicuous in female, drab and less conspicuous in male. Dorsum of thorax with swelling at each end of transverse suture clothed with shining maize-yellow hair, brighter in female than in male; hind border of dorsum of main portion of thorax also clothed with similar hair. Tip of abdomen in female abd male genitalia orange-cinnamon. Dorsum of abdomen in male with potches, in female with transverse bands, of appressed, glistening, pale yellow or buff-yellow hair. Wings ochraceous-tawny anteriorly on basal half, darker (sepia-coloured) at tips.

Original description by Austen:
Austen, E.E. 1937. New genera and species of Ethiopian Tabanidae, subfamily Pangoniinae (Diptera). Proceedings of the Zoological Society of London (C) 107: 31-34.
https://sci-hub.se/https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1096-3642.1937.tb00008.x

Illustration of Thorax:

Recorded from grassland and Lowveld savanna (KZN).

iNat record: https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/142446811

Length 12.5 to 14.5 mm. All black species.
Antennae with thumb-like process on upper border short.
Dorsum of thorax (including scutellum) and first abdominal tergite olive-brown, reminder of dorsum of abdomen, or at any rate third and following tergites, blackish brown; wings (cf. text-fig. 8) blackish brown, with certain paler areas or markings and two, more or less well-defined darker blotches, one occupying proximal two-thirds or four-fifths of basal cells, the other below stigma; knobs of halteres large, creamy-white or light buff, and very conspicuous; legs blackish brown, front tibiae somewhat incrassate.

Original description by Austen:
Austen, E.E. 1937. New genera and species of Ethiopian Tabanidae, subfamily Pangoniinae (Diptera). Proceedings of the Zoological Society of London (C) 107: 31-34.
https://sci-hub.se/https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1096-3642.1937.tb00008.x

Illustration of wing:

iNat observations:
https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/9304135
https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/18629755

Black with orange-golden antennae and legs. Thorax with golden bands on hind margin and sides. Abdomen with median, golden spots on T2 and T4.

Recorded from Cape Floristic Region, a Fynbos endemic.

Original description by Wiedemann
https://www.biodiversitylibrary.org/item/50649#page/142/mode/1up

Illustrated in Austen 1909:
https://www.biodiversitylibrary.org/item/75729#page/249/mode/1up

iNat observation: https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/40353666

This species is all orange and has unicolorous green eyes in the female, and the male eye has the upper part unbanded, of a shining golden colour. Thorax: mesonotum and scutellum black in ground colour, covered with yellow-grey tomentum. Pleura grey or a little yellowish, with long white hairs. Abdomen: dorsum orange, without pattern, darkening towards the tip. Wings: Quite clear veins and stigma yellow. Length: body 12 mm; wing 11 mm.

Illustrated in Austen 1909:
https://www.biodiversitylibrary.org/item/75729#page/253/mode/1up

Common thoughout the Afrotropical region.

Original description by Walker
https://www.biodiversitylibrary.org/item/119033#page/249/mode/1up

This species is distinguished by the black markings on the first four abdominal segments forming four broken and irregular stripes.
Antennae red with long upper branch of third joint.
Thorax dull yellowish with three mahogany-coloured stripes, some grey tomentum on dorsum and scattered short yellowish pubescence. Scutellum mahogany coloured, with a paler border.
Abdomen and legs yellowish.
Wings brown at base with a brown band across wing.
Length 15 mm.

Abdominal pattern illustrated in Usher 1965:
Usher, P.J. 1965. Records and descriptions of Tabaindae from southern Africa (Diptera). Annals of the Natal Museum 18. https://journals.co.za/doi/pdf/10.10520/AJA03040798_756

Original description by Ricardo:
https://www.biodiversitylibrary.org/item/17383#page/668/mode/1up

Fairly widespread, from Natal (Town Bush Valley), Eswatini, many localities in Zululand, and Zimbabwe (Mt. Selinda).

iNat observation: https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/10128559