Tabanus importunus Wiedemann 1828
Creators: name: Dutra, Maria Carolina Pimenta
name: Amorim, Dalton De Souza
name: Carmo, Daniel Dias Dornelas Do
Publisher: name: Zenodo
Year: 2025
Subjects: Biodiversity
Taxonomy
Animalia
Arthropoda
Insecta
Diptera
Tabanidae
Tabanus
Tabanus importunus

description: Tabanus importunus Wiedemann
(Figure 32 A–D, 33 A–D, 34)
Tabanus importunus Wiedemann, 1828: 127 (list of species); Walker, 1854: 219 (list of species); Kertész, 1908: 250 (cat.); Kröber, 1934: 309 (Tabanus (Tabanus )) (cat.); Martins, 1940: 197 (Tabanus (Lophotabanus )) (list of species); Pechuman, 1942: 58 (Tabanus (Tabanus )) (list of species); Fairchild, 1943: 444, figs. 2, 2a, 2b (list of species); Bequaert & Renjifo-Salcedo, 1946: 80 (Tabanus (Tabanus )) (list of species); Barretto, 1957: 88 (list of species); Fairchild & Aitken, 1960: 7 (list of species); Fairchild, 1966: 446 (list of species), 1967a: 99 (list of species); Iide, 1969: 211, figs. 1–52 (Tabanus (Lophotabanus )) (tax.); Fairchild, 1970: 847 (list of species), 1971: 95 (cat.); Moucha, 1976: 114 (cat.); Wilkerson, 1979: 376 (list of species); Fairchild, 1984: 25, map 1 (rev.), 1986: 113 (list of species); Raymond, 1990: 44 (Trypanosoma vivax vector); Rafael et al., 1991: 362 (list of species); Fairchild & Burger, 1994: 139 (cat.); Silva et al., 1995: 315 (Trypanosoma evansi vector); Henriques & Rafael, 1999: 216 (list of species); Barros et al., 2003: 10,11,13, table 1,2 (list of species); Gómez et al., 2005: 77 (list of species); Cambra, 2006: 124–125, table 2 (list of species); Barros & Foil, 2007: 382, table 1 (Tabanidae movement); Buestán et al., 2007: 171 (list of species); Cárdenas, et al. 2009: 18 (list of species); Coscarón & Papavero, 2009b: 132 (cat); Lima et al., 2015: 6 (list of species); Guimarães et al., 2016: 77 (list of species); Krolow & Henriques, 2017: 4 (list of species); Krolow et al., 2017: 105 (list of species); Guimarães & Aguiar, 2019: 17 (list of species); Koller et al., 2019: 1393–1395, table 1,2 (list of species); Henriques & Krolow, 2020: 440 (list of species); Oliveira et al., 2022: 7–8, figs. 3 (list of species); Riccardi et al., 2022: 25 (list of species); Corrêa-Neto & Henriques, 2023: 575–581, table 1, 2 (list of species). Henriques et al., 2023: Supplemental table (Amazon biogeography).
Tabanus monogramma Wiedemann, 1828: 150 (list of species); Walker, 1848: 167 (list of species), 1854: 219 (list of species); Hunter, 1901: 142 (cat.); Kertész, 1908: 262 (cat.); Kröber, 1934: 310 (cat.; Tabanus (Tabanus )); Fairchild, 1967a: 100 (list of species).
Tabanus valterii Macquart, 1838b: 184 (1839a: 300) (list of species); Walker, 1854: 198 (list of species); Hunter, 1901: 144 (cat.); Kertész, 1908: 291 (cat.); Kröber, 1934: 315 (cat.; Tabanus (Tabanus); Fairchild, 1956: 31 (syn.), 1967c: 252 (syn.; Macquart types)
Tabanus lividus Walker, 1848: 162; Kertész, 1908: 256 (cat.); Kröber, 1930b: 84 (Tabanus (Lophotabanus )), 1934: 296 cat.; Tabanus (Lophotabanus )); Stone, 1944: 136 (Tabanus (Tabanus )) (list of species); Bequaert & Renjifo-Salcedo, 1946: 79 (Tabanus (Tabanus )) (list of species); Fairchild, 1956: 21 (syn.); Barretto, 1957: 87 (Bellardia) (list of species).
Tabanus albidicollis Macquart, 1850: 336 (1850: 32) (list of species); Kertész, 1908: 219 (cat.); Fairchild, 1956: 10 (syn.).
Tabanus semisordidus Walker, 1854: 208; Kertész, 1908: 278 (cat.); Fairchild, 1956: 28 (syn.).
Tabanus albicollis Hunter, 1901: 139 (cat., error).
Distribution: Panama, Colombia, Venezuela, Guyana, Suriname, French Guiana, Trinidad, Peru, Bolivia, Brazil (Roraima, Amazonas, Amapá, Pará, Maranhão, Rio Grande do Norte, Rondônia, Mato Grosso, Tocantins, Bahia, Minas Gerais, Goiás, Distrito Federal, Mato Grosso do Sul, Rio de Janeiro, São Paulo, Santa Catarina, Rio Grande do Sul), Paraguay, and Argentina.
Type-locality: “ Brazil ”.
Diagnosis: Large specimens (16–22.2 mm). Frons narrow (FI: 5.0–6.0), convergent at the base (DI: 1.17–1.37). Palpus extremely short and inflated, smaller than half the length of the stylets, and drop-shaped. Postpedicel long and narrow, longer than high. Scutum and scutellum reddish-brown with gray pruinosity, mostly covered by setulae of the same color. Wing strong or slightly tinged at the end of cells br and bm, below the pterostigma, and in the fork of vein R 4+5. Abdomen orangish-brown with a black dorsomedial integumental and setulose stripe or a row of spots, and a row of dorsolateral spots (tergite I to IV) of orange setulae when well-preserved.
Remarks: This is a highly variable species and its wide distribution in Panama and South America raise the suspicion that it could be a case of a small clade with cryptic species. Some specimens of Tabanus importunus are difficult to distinguish from T. nebulosus and T. pseudonebulosus. T. importunus differs from both species by having a wing strongly tinged at the end of the cells br and bm and below pterostigma, a drop-shaped, short and inflated palpus, and a scutum with grayish pruinosity. The antenna is never as seen in T. pseudonebulosus (Fig. 10A). T. pseudonebulosus has relatively smaller individuals (10.6–17.4 mm), with the wing hyaline or less tinged, rarely tinged below pterostigma, some may have the palpus similar to T. importunus, but they never have the postpedicel of the antenna longer than high. The abdomen of T. pseudonebulosus has a continuous black dorsomedial integumental stripe, which is present in T. importunus and absent or reduced (tergite 1 to 2) in T. nebulosus, and dorsomedial triangles of pale setulae when well-preserved, that are absent on T. importunus and may be present in T. nebulosus. The wing is hyaline or less tinged than in T. nebulosus with seldom any tinged areas below pterostigma and at the wing base, and the palpus is longer and not inflated. The difficulty in separating these three species is accentuated when specimens are stored in ethanol, due to the loss of vestiture (setulae and pruinosity) characters, important for the identification of Tabanidae. The male is similar to the female, except for the reduced mouthparts, slender antenna lacking the ventral angle found in females, holoptic eyes with the facets well-demarcated, the largest ones occupy the upper half the eyes and are lighter than the smaller ones. As discussed above, an integrative approach to the taxonomy of the group would help to clarify the divergence between subclusters of what now fits into Tabanus importunus and their separation from T. nebulosus and T. pseudonebulosus.
Examined material: Moja Pollo [PANAMA], R.P, 3–28–40 [1♀] [MZUSP]; Moja Pollo [PANAMA], R.P, 4–15–40 [1♀] [MZUSP]; Fazenda Taperinha, Santarém, PA [Pará], BRASIL, X–XI.1970, Exp. Perm. Amaz. [1♀] [MZUSP]; Boca Furo do Aquiqui, Rio Amazonas, AM [Amazonas, BRAZIL], 11.VIII.1968, Exp. Perm. Amaz. [1♀] [MZUSP]; BRASIL, RO [Rondônia], Porto Velho, Rio Madeira, 9º38.5’5.6” S 65º27’11.2” W, Malaise, 6º camp. T9 e T11, 28.iii–08.iv.2011. Silva & Albuquerque col. [1♀] [MZUSP]; SISBIOTA CNPq/ FAPESP [on the lateral of the label], BRASIL, MT [Mato Grosso], Chap. dos Guimarães, P.N. Chapada dos Guimarães, 15º24’33” S 55º49’54.9”, Coleta manual (rede) [manual collection (net)], Sede ICMBio, 08.ix.2011, Lamas, C.J.E & eq. col. [1♂] [MZUSP]; BRASIL, MT [Mato Grosso], Tangará da Serra, Fazenda Aparecida da Serra, Serra dos Parecis, 14º21’29.78”S 57º42’44”W, Malaise, 28. V.2008, Franciosi, R. (col) [1♀] [MZUSP]; Mato Grosso [BRAZIL], Rio 7 de Setembro, Posto Garaparu, Werner, XI-1949 [Photographed] [1♀] [MZUSP]; X-49 [on the lateral of the label], Mato Grosso [BRAZIL], Brejo Rudeia, 50km do Rio 7 de Setembro, Werner col. [1♀] [MZUSP]; BRASIL, MT [Mato Grosso], Cuiabá, Vale do Mutuca, Fazenda Sadia, 17–24.X.2009, G. Rosa, F. Fernandes, B. Medeiros & L. Prado cols. [1♀] [MZUSP]; XI-49 [on the lateral of the label], Mato Grosso [BRASIL], S. Domingos, Werner [1♀] [MZUSP]; SISBIOTA CNPq/ FAPESP [on the lateral of the label], BRASIL, Mato Grosso do Sul, Aquidauana, Reserva Ecológica UEMS 20°26’07.2” S 55°39’32.8” W, Malaise 09, 26.ix–11.x.2011, Lamas, Nihei eq. col. [1♂] [MZUSP]; SISBIOTA CNPq/ FAPESP [on the lateral of the label], BRASIL, Mato Grosso do Sul, Bodoquena, Fazenda Califórnia, 20°41’49.08”S 56º52’54.0”W, Malaise 5, 06.x.2011, Lamas eq. col. / 21.ix–6.x.2011 [2♀] [MZUSP]; BRASIL, Mato Grosso do Sul, Porto Murtinho (norte), Estrada para Pirizal—Km 18, 21°33’0.5”S 57º 45’35”W, 19–31.i.2008, Nihei S, Figueiredo R & Almeida J [1♀] [MZUSP]; Goiânia - GO [Goiás, BRAZIL], 09–11-1991, Jacomé, A.G [Photographed] [1♂] [UFG]; 50126 [On a green label] / Ilha do Bananal-GO [Tocantins, BRAZIL], 29-ix-1987, P.B. Silva, leg [1♀] [UFG]; 50125 [On a green label] / Ilha do Bananal-GO [Tocantins, BRAZIL], 29- ix-1987, P.B. Silva, leg [1♀] [UFG]; BRAZIL, GO [Goiás], Alto Paraíso de Goiás, P. N. Chapada dos Veadeiros, Cerrado Queimado [Burned cerrado] 14°07’43”S 47°44’08”, 09.x.2018, Malaise, Ponto 1, Perioto & Lara cols. [3♀] [MZUSP]; BRAZIL, GO [Goiás], Alto Paraíso de Goiás, P. N. Chapada dos Veadeiros, Cerrado Queimado [Burned cerrado] 14°07’43”S 47°44’06”, 04.xii.2018, Malaise, Ponto 2, Perioto & Lara cols. [5♀] [MZUSP]; BRAZIL, GO [Goiás], Alto Paraíso de Goiás, P. N. Chapada dos Veadeiros, Cerrado Queimado [Burned cerrado] 14°07’43”S 47°44’06”, 28.viii.2018, Malaise, Ponto 2, Perioto & Lara cols. [1♀] [MZUSP]; BRAZIL, GO [Goiás], Alto Paraíso de Goiás, P. N. Chapada dos Veadeiros, Cerrado Queimado [Burned cerrado] 14°08’36”S 47°46’04”, 28.viii.2018, Malaise, Ponto 3, Perioto & Lara cols. [4♀] [MZUSP]; BRAZIL, GO [Goiás], Alto Paraíso de Goiás, P. N. Chapada dos Veadeiros, Cerrado Queimado [Burned cerrado] 14°08’36”S 47°46’04”, 09.x.2018, Malaise, Ponto 3, Perioto & Lara cols. [3♀] [MZUSP]; BRAZIL, GO [Goiás], Alto Paraíso de Goiás, P. N. Chapada dos Veadeiros, Cerrado 14°08’36”S 47°46’04”, 11.ix.2018, Malaise, Ponto 3, Perioto & Lara cols. [1♀] [MZUSP]; BRAZIL, GO [Goiás], Alto Paraíso de Goiás, P. N. Chapada dos Veadeiros, Cerrado Queimado [Burned cerrado] 14°08’36”S 47°46’04”, 25.ix.2018, Malaise, Ponto 3, Perioto & Lara cols. [1♀] [MZUSP]; BRAZIL, GO [Goiás], Alto Paraíso de Goiás, P. N. Chapada dos Veadeiros, Cerrado Queimado [Burned cerrado] 14°07’44”S 47°44’00”, 25.ix.2018, Malaise, Ponto 4, Perioto & Lara cols. [3♀] [MZUSP]; BRAZIL, GO [Goiás], Alto Paraíso de Goiás, P. N. Chapada dos Veadeiros, Cerrado Queimado [Burned cerrado] 14°07’44”S 47°44’00”, 11.ix.2018, Malaise, Ponto 4, Perioto & Lara cols. [3♀] [MZUSP]; BRAZIL, GO [Goiás], Alto Paraíso de Goiás, P. N. Chapada dos Veadeiros, Cerrado Queimado [Burned cerrado] 14°07’44”S 47°44’00”, 28.viii.2018, Malaise, Ponto 4, Perioto & Lara cols. [2♀] [MZUSP]; BRAZIL, MG [Minas Gerais], Chapada Gaúcha, P. N. Grande Sertão Veredas, Cerrado, 15°10’29.6”S 45º43’17.6”W, 11.ix.2018, Malaise, Ponto 2, Perioto & Lara cols. [7♀] [MZUSP]; BRAZIL, MG [Minas Gerais], Chapada Gaúcha, P. N. Grande Sertão Veredas, Cerrado, 15°10’30.6”S 45º43’16.6”W, 25.ix.2018, Malaise, Ponto 3, Perioto & Lara cols. [1♀] [MZUSP]; BRASIL MG [Minas Gerais], Uberaba, IFTM, 19°39’55”S 47°57’29”W, Malaise Vareda, 1– 17.x.2019, Capelari leg. [1♀] [MZUSP]; BRASIL, MG [Minas Gerais], Perdizes, EDPA Galheiro, Galheiro, Céu do Cavalo, 19º18’31”S 42°8’55”W, Malaise, 5–23.ix.2020, RS Capellari & SH Seike, leg [1♀] [MZUSP]; BRAZIL, São Paulo, Turmalina, Fazenda São João (20°00’13” S 50°26’02” W) 16.xii.2008 - W. Noll leg [30♀] [MZUSP]; BRAZIL, São Paulo, Turmalina, Fazenda São João (20°00’13” S 50°26’02” W) 05.xii.2007 - W. Noll leg [39♀] [MZUSP]; BRAZIL, São Paulo, Turmalina. Fazenda Primavera (20°30’52” S 50°26’02” W) 26.ix.2008. Malaise Branca. F.B. Noll leg. [3♀] [MZUSP]; BRAZIL, São Paulo, Getulina. Santa América (21°49’12” S 50°03’44” W) 31.x–26.xi.2016 - Malaise trap on moist soil. RS Capellari leg. [1♀] [MZUSP].
description: Published as part of Dutra, Maria Carolina Pimenta, Amorim, Dalton De Souza & Carmo, Daniel Dias Dornelas Do, 2025, Taxonomic revision of the Tabanus nebulosus species group (Diptera: Tabanidae), pp. 1-48 in Zootaxa 5588 (1) on pages 18-21, DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.5588.1.1, http://zenodo.org/record/14895899