The head of Atylotus is more strongly spherical than in Tabanus and the eyes are usually light brown, often with a fainttrace of a thin purple line. The frontal calli of Atylotus are characteristic: the two calli are small, widely separated, and very low in profile. Both of A.fulvus are covered with golden yellowhairs, which are vivid and colourful in life. The abdomen is reddish at sides, basally. No distinctabdominal pattern is visible unless the covering of mingled black and yellow hairs is rubbed away. In this species the calli are small and sometimes absent.