Horse flies and deer flies are true flies of the family Tabanidae in the order Diptera, whose adults are often large and agile fliers. Females parasitize land vertebrates, including humans, biting them to obtain blood, and prefer sunlight over dark, shaded areas, being inactive at night. Found worldwide except for some islands and the polar regions, horse flies are sometimes called gadflies, a name also applied to the unrelated botflies, and contrary to popular belief they cannot see infrared light or otherwise detect heat at a distance.
Facts
Classification
System (Realm) System (Realm) System (Realm) Relationship to People Living or Extinct Comparison
CITES Appendix Partially Attested
Scientific NameSource gives family Tabanidae, not a single species Identification
Distinguishing AppearanceGenus Tabanus horse flies are large, up to 25 mm, mostly dark brown or black with dark eyes 1 Connections
In the Other Atlases
Found In
Also in Geography Atlas: where this subject is found.
Also in Geography Atlas: where this subject is found.
Also in Geography Atlas: where this subject is found.
Also in Geography Atlas: where this subject is found.
Sources
1. Tabanidae
Lead paragraph
true flies in the family Tabanidae
Description
are mostly dark brown or black, with dark eyes
Lead section
Female horse flies can transfer blood-borne diseases from one animal to another through their feeding habit.
In Biome: Alpine, Distribution and habitat
They mostly occur in warm areas with suitable moist locations for breeding, but also occupy a wide range of habitats from deserts to alpine meadows.
In Biome: Desert, Distribution and habitat
They mostly occur in warm areas with suitable moist locations for breeding, but also occupy a wide range of habitats from deserts to alpine meadows.
View the Source2. Wikidata: Horse Fly
- Wikidata Q228241, class allow-list match (w-wdresolver-0926)
- Wikipedia 'Tabanidae': females parasitize land vertebrates, biting them to obtain blood
- Child Taxon Of: Diptera, Wikidata parent-taxon (P171) chain
View the Source3. GBIF Species API
4. Wikidata (taxon extant/extinct status)
Wikimedia Foundation / Wikidata contributorsQ228241, descriptionView the Source 5. UNEP-WCMC Species+ database (CITES Secretariat): Species+: Insecta
UNEP-WCMC Species+ database (CITES Secretariat)Species+ taxon_concepts, id 28Quote, Species+ taxon_concepts, id 28
"cites_listing":"I/II/III/NC","eu_listing":"A/B/C/NC","higher_taxa":{"kingdom":"Animalia","phylum":"Arthropoda","class":"Insecta","order":null,"family":null},"synonyms":[],"common_names":[{"name":"Insectos","language":"ES"},{"name":"Insects","language":"EN"},{"name":"Insectes","language":"FR"},{"name":"昆虫纲","language":"ZH"}],"cites_listings":[]
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