S. Mahunka szerk.: Folia Entomologica Hungarica 60. (Budapest, 1999)

FOLIA ENTOMOLOGICA HUNGARICA ROVARTANI KÖZLEMÉNYEK LX 1999 pp. 325-344 Horse flies in the Mediterranean part of Croatia (Diptera: Tabanidae) S. Krcmar Horse flies in the Mediterranean part of Croatia (Diptera: Tabanidae) — In the Mediterranean part of Croatia a total of 7990 horse flies were collected. 62 species were collected belonging to the following genera: Chrysops, Atylotus, Therioplectes, Hybomitra, Tabanus, Heptatoma, Haematopota, Dasyrhamphis and Philipomyia. Tabanus is the most common genus represented by 26 species and it is followed by other genera: Hybomitra with 12 species, Haematopota with 7 species, Atylotus with 5 species, Chrysops with 4 species, Dasyrhamphis with 3 species, Therioplectes and Philipomyia with 2 and Heptatoma with one species. The most abundant species is Tabanus exclusus with 21.31%, followed by Tabanus tergestinus (14.98%), Atylotus loewianus (9.98%), Haematopota pandazisi (9.46%) and Tabanus bromius (7.32%). These 5 species make out 63.05% of the fauna in the Mediterranean part of Croatia. The collected species cover 95 fields on the UTM grid of Croatia. Males make up 2.52% of the sample whereas females 97.48%. INTRODUCTION The fauna of horse flies (Tabanidae) and the entire entomofauna in general was initially researched primarily by foreign entomologists (Durbesic 1984). The first written records about horse flies in Croatia were those based on the research of the entomofauna of Dalmatia (Nonveiller 1989). Some partial information on the fauna of horse flies are also found in monographs written by Surcouf (1924) and Kröber (1932). After the world war II, research was continued, so that the number of horse flies in Croatia has gradually increased (Coe 1958, 1960, Chvála et al. 1972, Majer 1985, Moucha 1959, 1965, Leclercq 1960, 1965, 1968, 1976). Regarding the research carried out so far, the Mediterranean region of Croatia has been insufficiently investigated. This region was predominantly studied by foreign entomologists who collected the material during short study tours. These are the main reasons that have induced me to start systematic research work in the region along the Adriatic coast. MATERIALS AND METHODS Faunistic research works on horse flies (Tabanidae) in the Mediterranean part of Croatia were carried out in May, June, July and August of 1995, 1996 and 1997. Horse