The morphological adaptations of horse fly larvae (Diptera: Tabanidae) to developmental sites in the Palearctic Region and their relationship to the evolution and distribution of the family

Abstract

Horse fly larvae occur in diverse biotopes, not only in swampy habitats, but also in lakes, ponds, and mountain streams, as well as in high mountain forests and meadows. An analysis of the morphology of horse fly larvae from all known biotopes has revealed that morphological features are correlated with habitat type. Published articles and monographs that treat the taxonomy and morphology of larvae of the Tabanidae, particularly in the Nearctic Region, demonstrate the morphological features of adaptive significance. However, these works do not relate habitat type directly to morphological adaptations. Horse fly larvae are here grouped as ecological types, based on their external anatomy rather than on accepted phylogenetic lineages. The ability of tabanid larvae to adapt to different biotopes has influenced the geographic distribution and perhaps the evolution of taxa of this family.