Horse fly
A horse fly is a type of insect and a member of the family Tabanidae (order Diptera). More specifically they are any member of the genus Tabanus. These stout flies are as small as a housefly or as large as a bumblebee. Their metallic or iridescent eyes meet dorsally in the male and are separate in the female. Gad-fly, a nickname, may refer either to the fly’s roving habits or to its mouthparts, which resemble a wedge-shaped miner’s tool.
| Horse fly | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Tabanus sulcifrons | |
| Scientific classification | |
| Kingdom: | |
| Phylum: | |
| Class: | |
| Order: | |
| Suborder: | Brachycera |
| Infraorder: | Tabanomorpha |
| Superfamily: | Tabanoidea |
| Family: | Tabanidae |
The bites of the female fly often carry parasites onto the victim (such as a horse). The resulting sore can be extremely distressing to the animal.
This article is issued from Wikipedia. The text is licensed under Creative Commons - Attribution - Sharealike. Additional terms may apply for the media files.