Cuticular hydrocarbon variation in the Tabanidae (Diptera): Tabanus nigrovittatus complex of the North American Atlantic coast

Tabanus nigrovittatus consists of a cryptic species complex involving at least 1 other sibling species, T. conterminus. Multivariate analysis of cuticular hydrocarbon patterns of members of this complex from the Atlantic coast of North America clearly showed 3 statistically disjoint chromatotypes. Type I, which included the largest individuals, represented T. conterminus, whereas type II patterns represented a different chromatotype found in smaller flies identified as T. nigrovittatus. Surprisingly, some small specimens exhibited a 3rd chromatotype (type III) that contained di- and trimethylalkanes not identified in types I and II. It is believed that this 3rd chromatotype represents an undescribed member of the T. nigrovittatus complex.