Abstract
In Central Amazonia the tabanid Betrequia ocellala Oldroyd, 1970 was recorded for the first time blood feeding on caimans during an experiment in September/October 1996 at Ducke Reserve, Manaus, Brazil. Among different available hosts (Caiman, horse, duck and human) B. ocellata was observed only on Caiman crocodilus (Linnaeus, 1758), suggesting specific blood feeding on crocodilians. The adult flight season, diurnal blood feeding period and flight stratification are presented. Other tabanid species feeding or landing on caimans are also recorded.
Diptera; Tabanidae; Chrysopsinae; Rhinomyzini; Betrequia ocellata; Amazon basin; hematophagy; Caiman; Alligatoridae
Betrequia ocellata Oldroyd (Diptera, Tabanidae, Rhinomyzini) blood feeding on Caiman crocodilus (Linnaeus) (Crocodylia, Alligatoridae) in Manaus, Brazil
Augusto Loureiro HenriquesI,II; Ruth Leila Menezes FerreiraI; João Ferreira VidalI; José Albertino RafaelI,II
ICoordenação de Entomologia, Instituto Nacional de Pesquisas da Amazônia, Caixa Postal 478, 69011-970 Manaus, Amazonas, Brasil
IICNPq Research Scholarship holder
ABSTRACT
In Central Amazonia the tabanid Betrequia ocellala Oldroyd, 1970 was recorded for the first time blood feeding on caimans during an experiment in September/October 1996 at Ducke Reserve, Manaus, Brazil. Among different available hosts (Caiman, horse, duck and human) B. ocellata was observed only on Caiman crocodilus (Linnaeus, 1758), suggesting specific blood feeding on crocodilians. The adult flight season, diurnal blood feeding period and flight stratification are presented. Other tabanid species feeding or landing on caimans are also recorded.
Key words: Diptera, Tabanidae, Chrysopsinae, Rhinomyzini, Betrequia ocellata, Amazon basin, hematophagy, Caiman, Alligatoridae
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ACKNOWLEDGMENTS. We are grateful to Glória Moreira
(in memorian)
and George Rebelo for comments concerning the ecology of Amazonian reptiles and on the manuscript and Dr. Philip Fearnside for comments on the manuscript.
Recebido em 16.IX.1999; aceito em 18.VIII.2000.
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Publication Dates
-
Publication in this collection
08 May 2009 -
Date of issue
Sept 2000
History
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Accepted
18 Aug 2000 -
Received
16 Sept 1999