Louse-fly
Guides
Icosta
Icosta is a genus of louse flies (Hippoboscidae) comprising 52 described species, making it the largest genus in the family. All species are obligate ectoparasites of birds, feeding on blood. The genus has a cosmopolitan distribution excluding Antarctica and is divided into six subgenera based on morphological characteristics. Members are pupiparous, with larvae developing internally and depositing fully formed pupae.
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 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.
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.