Abstract
Simple SummaryTabanus spp. (Diptera: Tabanidae) are blood-sucking parasites of animals and humans. The accurate identification of these flies is very important for determining the vector species involved in disease transmission and for planning effective vector control and management strategies. We explored the effectiveness of landmark-based geometrics at distinguishing and identifying morphologically similar species of Tabanus (T. megalops, T. rubidus, and T. striatus) in Thailand. Our study reveals that geometric morphometrics is effective at distinguishing between the three species of Tabanus. Furthermore, our study material can be used as reference material for species identification.Tabanus spp., also known as horse flies (Diptera: Tabanidae), are important vectors of several animal pathogens. Adult females of Tabanus megalops and Tabanus striatus, which are members of the T. striatus complex, are morphologically similar and hence difficult to distinguish using morphological characteristics. In addition, molecular identification by DNA barcoding is also unable to distinguish these species. These two species can occur sympatrically with Tabanus rubidus, which is morphologically similar to T. megalops and T. striatus. Wing geometric morphometrics has been widely used in various insects to distinguish morphologically similar species. This study explored the effectiveness of landmark-based geometrics at distinguishing and identifying T. megalops, T. rubidus, and T. striatus in Thailand. Specimens were collected from different geographical regions of Thailand, and only unambiguously identified specimens were used for geometric morphometric analyses. Left wings of females of T. megalops (n = 160), T. rubidus (n = 165), and T. striatus (n = 85) were photographed, and 22 wing landmarks were used for the analysis. Wing shape was able to distinguish among species with high accuracy scores, ranging from 94.38% to 99.39%. We showed that morphologically very close species of Tabanus can be reliably distinguished by the geometry of their wing venation, and we showed how our experimental material could be used as a reference to tentatively identify new field collected specimens.
Highlights
Tabanus spp., known as horse flies (Diptera: Tabanidae), are hematophagous fliesTabanus spp., known as horse flies (Diptera: Tabanidae), are hematophagous flies of medical and veterinary importance
The largest wings were found in T. rubidus (13.01 ± 0.77 mm), followed by T. megalops (10.01 ± 0.67 mm) and T. striatus (10.29 ± 0.47 mm)
The accuracy of the maximum likelihood validated size-based classification was very high for T. rubidus
Summary
Tabanus spp., known as horse flies (Diptera: Tabanidae), are hematophagous flies. Tabanus spp., known as horse flies (Diptera: Tabanidae), are hematophagous flies of medical and veterinary importance. Female flies feed on pets, livestock, wildlife, and occasionally, have been described [1]. Female flies feed on pets, livestock, wildlife, and occasionally, humans. They are biological vectors of Trypanosoma theileri, and mechanical vectors of humans. They are biological vectors of Trypanosoma theileri, and mechanical vectors of other trypanosomes, such as Trypanosoma brucei, Trypanosoma congolense, Trypanosoma evother trypanosomes, such as Trypanosoma brucei, Trypanosoma congolense, Trypanosoma evansi, ansi, and Trypanosoma vivax They can mechanically transmit other pathogens, and Trypanosoma vivax. They can mechanically transmit other pathogens, such such as the etiologic agents of infectious diseases like African horse sickness, anthrax, boas the etiologic agents of infectious diseases like African horse sickness, anthrax, bovine vine anaplasmosis, bovine besnoitiosis, bovine leucosis, equine infectious anemia, lumpy anaplasmosis, bovine besnoitiosis, bovine leucosis, equine infectious anemia, lumpy skin skin disease, and tularemia [2,3,4]
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