Tabanidae of Canada, east of the Rocky Mountains 1: a ...

Genus Chrysops Meigen
Tabanids in the genus Chrysops are the common deer flies with black, black
and yellow, brownish or smoky bodies and dark wing markings. They are
relatively small (5-12 mm long) and some species are annoying pests of
humans, especially in wooded areas. Thirty-eight of 45 Canadian species are
found in Canada east of Manitoba (Teskey 1990), but by including 2 prairie
species (Chrysops discalis Williston and Chrysops fulvaster Osten Sacken) this
account will cover all 40 species known from east of the Rocky Mountains.
Sexual dimorphism is large in some species but females can be recognized by
their dichoptic eyes (Fig. 22) and males by their holoptic eyes (Fig. 23).
The following key applies only to females as this is the gender most commonly
encountered (males are relatively rare). Teskey (1990) provided a key to and
descriptions of the males of all the Canadian species but gave no images.
Males are relatively difficult to reliably identify.
Features of the head (Fig. 24) and wing infuscation pattern (Fig. 25), as well as
body colour and pattern (Figs. 26, 28), are used extensively for the
identification of species.
Key here return to start of key to subfamilies and genera of Tabanidae