About Tabanus punctifer Osten Sacken, 1876
Tabanus punctifer, commonly known as the western horse fly, is a species of horse fly belonging to the family Tabanidae. This species reaches an approximate length of 20.5 mm (0.8 in). It is distributed across Canada and the United States, and is typically found throughout the southern and western regions of the United States, ranging between Utah and Mexico, and between California and Texas. The thorax of Tabanus punctifer is covered in long hairs that give it a creamy white color, while its abdomen is entirely black. Like other horse fly species, female Tabanus punctifer need a blood meal for their eggs to develop. Females bite horses, livestock, and humans, which makes them vectors for disease-causing pathogens and parasites.
