SYNOPSIS. A new species, Crithidia rileyi (Trypanosomatidae), is described from Tabanus epistates. The most characteristic feature of the flagellate is the frequent occurrence of a broad sucker‐like posterior end. In contrast to other species of Crithidia it multiplied very slowly in the first few weeks after isolation. A review of the literature shows that trypanosomatids of two generic types, Crithidia and Blastocrithidia, have been described from flies of the family Tabanidae, although they have nearly always been regarded as stages of the same organism. Some or all of those of the Blastocrithidia type are stages of Trypanosoma theileri. The Crithidia are probably not stages in the development of any trypanosome.