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Vol. 60 
June, 1953 
No. 2 
TABANIDAE FROM THE STATE OF CHIAPAS, 
MEXICO, WITH DESCRIPTIONS OF TWO NEW 
SPECIES (DIPTERA) 
By G. B. Fairchild 
Gorgas Memorial Laboratory, Panama 
A survey for Yellow Fever immunity in wild animals, 
primarily monkeys, undertaken by members of the staff 
of the Gorgas Memorial Laboratory at the request of the 
Pan-American Sanitary Bureau furnished an opportunity 
for the writer to visit several localities in the State of 
Chiapas, Mexico. Since records of Tabanidae from Chiapas 
are relatively few, it is believed that a report on the col- 
lections made may be of interest. Although all groups of 
biting insects were collected, only the Tabanidae will be 
discussed in detail here. 
While we were in Chiapas about 5 weeks, from March 
20 to April 25, 1951, only 20 days were actually spent in 
the field, collections being made in the following localities. 
Tuxtla Gutierrez. This town, the capital of the state, 
was our headquarters in Chiapas. It lies in a broad valley 
in a rather dry limestone area. At the time of our visit 
little rain had fallen for some time, and except along the 
few streams, the scrubby vegetation was mostly leafless 
and insects little in evidence. Collecting along the banks of 
the Rio Sabinal, a small highly polluted stream on the out- 
skirts of the town, yielded a few Phlebotomus and great 
numbers of Culex from hollows in large mango and cypress 
trees. SimuLium were annoying at times around the hotel, 
especially during the latter part of our stay, and a few 
tabanids were taken on the windows of the hotel. 
41 
