Hippoboscidae
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.
Icosta albipennis
Icosta albipennis is a species of louse fly in the family Hippoboscidae, first described by Thomas Say in 1823. The species is part of a genus of blood-feeding ectoparasitic flies that primarily infest birds. It has been recorded in taxonomic databases with limited observational data available.
Lipoptena
deer ked, louse fly, ked fly
Lipoptena is a genus of louse flies (family Hippoboscidae) comprising approximately 30 described species of obligate blood-feeding ectoparasites primarily associated with deer and other cervids. Adults are initially winged but shed their wings upon locating a host, becoming permanently attached and resembling ticks in appearance. Several species have expanded their ranges through human-mediated transport of hosts, with L. cervi (European deer ked) now invasive in northeastern North America. Members of this genus are increasingly recognized as nuisance pests for hunters and outdoor recreationists, and as potential vectors of bacterial pathogens including Bartonella species.
Lipoptena cervi
Deer Ked, Deer Fly, European Deer Ked
Lipoptena cervi is a blood-feeding ectoparasitic fly in the family Hippoboscidae, commonly known as the deer ked or European deer ked. Native to Eurasia, it has been introduced to North America and is now invasive in the northeastern United States. Adults are initially winged but shed their wings after locating a host, becoming permanently attached to cervid mammals. The species is a significant nuisance to hunters, hikers, and deer processors due to its persistent biting behavior and apparent resistance to common insect repellents.
Lipoptena depressa
Western American deer ked
Lipoptena depressa, the Western American deer ked, is a blood-feeding louse fly (family Hippoboscidae) and ectoparasite specialized on deer. Adults are initially winged but shed wings upon locating a host, after which they remain permanently on the host animal. The species is native to western North America and is one of three Lipoptena species found on the continent.
Melophagus
sheep ked, sheep louse fly, sheep tick
Melophagus is a genus of wingless, blood-feeding flies in the family Hippoboscidae. All species are obligate ectoparasites of cloven-hoofed mammals in the family Bovidae, particularly sheep, cattle, goats, and related wild species. The genus is native to Europe, Asia, and North Africa, but M. ovinus has been introduced worldwide with domestic sheep. These insects spend their entire life cycle on the host, with females giving birth to pupae that attach to wool fibers.
Melophagus ovinus
Sheep Ked, Sheep Louse Fly, Sheep Tick
Melophagus ovinus, commonly known as the sheep ked, is a wingless, blood-feeding ectoparasite of domestic sheep. Unlike most flies, females produce one offspring at a time through adenotrophic viviparity—larvae develop internally, feeding on secretions from milk glands, and are deposited as fully-formed prepupae that quickly harden into pupae. Populations exhibit strong seasonality, building rapidly in late winter to peak in April–May, then declining through summer. The species has a cosmopolitan distribution wherever sheep are present and is of veterinary significance, though it is not an effective vector for Anaplasma ovis.
Microlynchia
Microlynchia is a genus of pupiparous louse flies (family Hippoboscidae) comprising four recognized species. All species are obligate ectoparasites of birds. The genus is distinguished from the closely related Pseudolynchia by the presence of minute ocelli and a differently shaped scutellum. Species within Microlynchia exhibit varying degrees of host specificity, with some records indicating associations primarily with Columbiformes (doves and pigeons) while others document broader host ranges across multiple avian orders.
Ornithoctona
Ornithoctona is a genus of louse flies (Hippoboscidae: Diptera) comprising 12 known species, all of which are obligate ectoparasites of birds. These winged or wing-reduced flies are blood-feeding parasites found worldwide except Antarctica. Several species have been documented expanding their ranges, with Ornithoctona laticornis recently recorded in Europe (Hungary, Romania) outside its native African distribution. The genus exhibits broad host associations across multiple avian orders, with some species showing low host specificity.
Ornithoica
Ornithoica is a genus of louse flies (family Hippoboscidae) comprising 23 described species. All species are obligate ectoparasites of birds. The genus is distinguished from other hippoboscid genera by morphological features and host associations. Species occur worldwide except Antarctica, with the greatest diversity in Southeast Asia.
Ornithoica vicina
Ornithoica vicina is a species of louse fly in the family Hippoboscidae, first described by Walker in 1849. This parasitic dipteran is known to infest birds, with a documented host record from the Marsh Hawk (Circus cyaneus). Louse flies in this family are obligate ectoparasites of birds and mammals, characterized by their dorsoventrally flattened bodies and reduced or absent wings in adults, adaptations that facilitate movement through host plumage or fur. The species has been recorded from multiple localities including Brazil and Hawaii.
Ornithomya
bird louse flies
Ornithomya is a genus of louse flies (family Hippoboscidae) comprising approximately 31 species of obligate avian ectoparasites. All species are blood-feeding parasites of birds, primarily Passeriformes. Adults are dorsoventrally flattened with reduced or absent wings in many individuals. The genus exhibits adenotrophic viviparity, with larvae developing entirely within the female and deposited as fully mature third instars that immediately pupate. Species show varying degrees of host specificity correlated with bird nesting ecology.
Ornithomyinae
avian louse flies
Ornithomyinae is a subfamily of louse flies (Hippoboscidae) comprising blood-feeding ectoparasites primarily of birds, with some species parasitizing mammals. The subfamily contains approximately 16 genera and over 160 species worldwide. Phylogenetic analyses indicate that Ornithomyinae as currently defined is not monophyletic, with at least one genus (Ornithoica) clustering separately from other members. These flies are obligate parasites that remain on their hosts for extended periods, feeding repeatedly on blood.
Pseudolynchia
pigeon louse flies
Pseudolynchia is a genus of blood-feeding louse flies (Hippoboscidae) comprising five described species. All species are obligate ectoparasites of birds. The genus is best known for P. canariensis, commonly called the pigeon louse fly, which has been extensively studied as a vector of avian malaria parasites. Members exhibit the family-characteristic pupiparous reproduction, in which females retain and nourish larvae internally until depositing a fully formed prepupa.
Pseudolynchia canariensis
pigeon louse fly, pigeon fly
Pseudolynchia canariensis is an obligate ectoparasitic louse fly in the family Hippoboscidae that specializes on pigeons and doves (Columbidae). It is a significant vector of Haemoproteus columbae, the causative agent of pigeon malaria, serving as the definitive host where sexual reproduction of the parasite occurs. The species exhibits adenotrophic viviparity, producing one prepupa at a time that is deposited in the host's nest or roosting site. Both sexes feed exclusively on blood. The fly has been documented in numerous regions worldwide, particularly where domestic pigeons are kept, and shows limited ability to survive on human blood.