Landmark Data to Distinguish and Identify Morphologically Close Tabanus spp. (Diptera: Tabanidae).

ABSTRACT: Tabanus spp., also known as horse flies (Diptera: Tabanidae), are important vectors of several animal pathogens. Adult females of Tabanus megalops and Tabanus striatus, which are members of the T. striatus complex, are morphologically similar and hence difficult to distinguish using morphological characteristics. In addition, molecular identification by DNA barcoding is also unable to distinguish these species. These two species can occur sympatrically with Tabanus rubidus, which is morphologically similar to T. megalops and T. striatus. Wing geometric morphometrics has been widely used in various insects to distinguish morphologically similar species. This study explored the effectiveness of landmark-based geometrics at distinguishing and identifying T. megalops, T. rubidus, and T. s

SUBMITTER: Changbunjong T 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC8622361 | biostudies-literature | 2021 Oct

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature