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Barahona env.

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The key by Philip (1955) leads me to Chrysops variegata (De Geer, 1776), and at least one photo on the internet with that name is similar to your fly.

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Chrysops (Chrysops) variegatus. Thank you, John. It should be a common species, I collected a series of 7-8 specimens and was bited several times.

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Philip either treated the genus as feminine or forgot to make names agree in gender. I learned to correct his North American names without thinking. This is only the second time I have looked at the tropical part of his key.

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I agree.

On the matter of spelling: this is correct, but one has to take care.
-ops is from the Greek OO-ps (not Latin !) and the gender rules in Greek can be cumbersome.
For instance, soma = neutrum !

But in this case, indeed ops is feminine.

So variegata it is (or should be).


Theo

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1. Theo and John, thank you! It is a pleasure to get name for the series of exotic Tabanid.
2. After reading John's reply I started to search here: http://www.diptera.org/NomenclatorSearch.php and found only after changing name (see: http://www.diptera.org/NomenclatorDetail.php?Recn=580665 )

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Theo, do you know if this species is closely related to the North American Chrysops flavidus group?

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I am not aware of any " decent" phylogenetical investigation of Chrysops The grouping commonly used is just for convenience, I guess. For instance in the Palaearctic sejunctus is pretty close to caecutiens, yet in another group due to the fenestrae in the wing pattern. I would not lean too heavily on such features.
On the other hand ..... It does not disprove close relationship either.


Theo