1942 ] 
Near die Tabaninse 
25 
NOTES ON NEARCTIC TABANINSE. PART III. 
THE TAB ANUS LINEOLA COMPLEX 1 
By Cornelius B. Philip 
Hamilton, Montana. 
Among the taxonomic problems needing review, antici- 
patory to preparation of a catalog of Nearctic species of 
Tabanidse, is the recurrent question of variation in the com- 
mon Tabanus lineola Fabr. Relatives of this species with 
pale abdominal stripes, lately have been referred to Neota- 
banus Lutz (not Ricardo) (synonym, Txniotabanus 
Krober), although the group has not been considered of 
generic rank by Krober (1934), Stone (1938) or Bequaert 
(1940b). Osten Sacken early pointed out, and Bequaert 
(1940a) reiterated “the Tabanus with trivittate abdomens 
. . . are among the most difficult insects to deal with.” 
Hine (1906) attempted analysis of North American spe- 
cies “with a uniform middorsal stripe . . .” Tinctorially, 
also included were such species as acutus Bigot and the 
nigro-vittatus relatives with unibanded, unextended eyes. 
There is little structurally to define Neotabanus, and nigro- 
vittatus was also keyed with lineola in this category by 
Bequaert (1940b). The name might have more taxonomic 
utility if restricted to the close lineola relatives having the 
characteristic, multiple eye-banding, and extended outer 
angles of the eyes (most noticeable in the females) in ad- 
dition to the abdominal stripes. Such species as T. pro- 
ductus Hine and T. texanus Hine form troublesome inter- 
grades. The former has the characteristic eye-banding, 
laterally produced head, and a somewhat dorsiger-like ab- 
dominal pattern which belie the St eno tab anus-like antennse 
and wing spurs; texanus has a single, narrow purple eye 
band like nigrowittatus. Some T. sag ax 0. S. and rubbed 
!The studies on which this paper is based were completed at the 
Museum of Camparative Zoology, Harvard University, during tenure 
of a Fellowship from the John Simon Guggenheim Foundation. 
t 
