Carnivore-parasite
Guides
Hippobosca longipennis
dog fly, louse fly, blind fly
Hippobosca longipennis is an obligate blood-feeding ectoparasitic fly in the family Hippoboscidae. It primarily infests wild and domestic carnivores, particularly canids and hyaenids, but has been recorded on felids and occasionally humans. The species is larviparous, with females producing 10–15 larvae during a lifetime of four to five months. It serves as an intermediate host for the filarial nematode Dipetalonema dracunculoides (now Acanthocheilonema dracunculoides) and has been implicated as a potential vector for other pathogens. Native to Africa, it has spread to the Middle East, Asia, and parts of Europe through transport on zoo animals and domestic dogs.
Otodectes
ear mite
Otodectes is a genus of parasitic mites in the family Psoroptidae containing a single species, Otodectes cynotis, commonly known as the ear mite. These ectoparasites infest the external ear canals of domestic and wild carnivores, causing otitis externa. The genus is distributed worldwide and is of significant veterinary importance due to the intense irritation and secondary infections it can cause in host animals.