ARS | Publication request: An annotated checklist of the horse flies (Diptera: Tabanidae) of Lebanon with remarks on ecology and zoogeography: Pangoniinae and Chrysopsinae

Submitted to: Journal of Vector Ecology
Publication Type: Peer Reviewed Journal
Publication Acceptance Date: November 10, 2011
Publication Date: June 15, 2012
Citation: Muller, G.C., Zeegers, T., Hogsette, Jr, J.A., Revay, E.E., Kravchenko, V.D., Leshvanov, A., Schlein, Y. 2012. An annotated checklist of the horse flies (Diptera: Tabanidae) of Lebanon with remarks on ecology and zoogeography: Pangoniinae and Chrysopsinae. Journal of Vector Ecology. 37(1):216-220.

Interpretive Summary: Knowledge of the horse fly fauna (Diptera: Tabanidae) of Lebanon is fragmentary and only a single species, Chrysops flavipes Meigen, 1804, was known previously in the country. To better manage these flies in the Lebanon, more information was needed about fly species and their biology. There were 13 new horse fly species, four Pangoniinae and nine Chrysopsinae, collected during the study. Most of the horse fly species of Lebanon are of a Mediterranean distribution type.

Technical Abstract: Knowledge of the horse fly fauna (Diptera: Tabanidae) of Lebanon is fragmentary while in most neighboring countries it has been fairly well researched. Therefore USDA-CMAVE scientists and Israeli scientists worked cooperatively to survey the species of horse flies in the Lebanon. Chrysops flavipes Meigen, 1804, had been the only species recorded from Lebanon. However 13 new horse fly species, four Pangoniinae and nine Chrysopsinae, were recorded during this study. The Tabanidae fauna of Lebanon is Palearctic, and most species are of a Mediterranean distribution type. Lebanon or nearby northern Israel appears to be the southern geographical distribution border for the Pangoniinae and Chrysopsinae.