Veterinary-pest
Guides
Amblyomma americanum
Lone Star Tick, Northeastern Water Tick, Turkey Tick, Cricker Tick
Amblyomma americanum is a three-host hard tick native to eastern North America, notable for its aggressive host-seeking behavior and expanding geographic range. Adult females are distinguished by a silvery-white star-shaped spot on the scutum, while males display white streaks or spots at the shield margins. The species is the primary vector of Ehrlichia chaffeensis and Ehrlichia ewingii, and its bite can induce alpha-gal syndrome—a delayed allergic reaction to mammalian meat. Unlike many ticks, A. americanum exhibits active horizontal movement rather than passive questing, traveling up to 9 meters in 24 hours in field conditions.
Ctenocephalides canis
dog flea
Ctenocephalides canis is a cosmopolitan flea species in the family Pulicidae that primarily infests domestic dogs and cats as an obligate blood-feeding ectoparasite. It is less adaptable and less widely distributed than the closely related cat flea (C. felis), infesting fewer host species and achieving lower prevalence in most regions. The species has been documented across Europe, Asia, Africa, the Americas, and Central Asia, with notable populations in Ireland, Austria, Greece, Poland, New Zealand, Brazil, and Uzbekistan. It serves as a vector for parasitic worms and can cause allergic dermatitis in pets.
Ctenocephalides felis
cat flea
The cat flea (Ctenocephalides felis) is a cosmopolitan ectoparasite primarily associated with domestic cats but also commonly infests dogs and numerous other mammals. It is the most prevalent flea species on companion animals worldwide, surpassing the dog flea (C. canis) in distribution and host range. Adults are obligate blood-feeders that require fresh blood meals for reproduction. The species serves as a vector for multiple pathogens including Rickettsia felis, and acts as an intermediate host for cestodes such as Dipylidium caninum. Despite decades of intensive insecticide use, a 17-year international study found no evidence of resistance to imidacloprid among cat flea populations.
Culicoides variipennis
biting midge, no-see-um
Culicoides variipennis is a biting midge in the subgenus Monoculicoides, less than 1 mm in length. The species complex includes multiple subspecies with varying vector competence for livestock viruses. It is a significant vector of Bluetongue virus, African horse sickness virus, Akabane virus, and epizootic hemorrhagic disease virus in North America. Subspecies show distinct geographic distributions and morphological differences, particularly in male genitalia and female palpal segments.
Gasterophilinae
stomach bot flies
Gasterophilinae is a subfamily of Oestridae containing large, parasitic flies whose larvae develop in the digestive tracts of herbivorous mammals. The group includes three genera with distinct host specializations: Gasterophilus (equids including horses, zebras, and donkeys), Gyrostigma (rhinoceroses), and Cobboldia (elephants). Adults are short-lived, non-feeding, and exhibit specialized oviposition behaviors. Larvae are obligate parasites that complete development in the host alimentary tract, causing veterinary significance. The subfamily has achieved near-cosmopolitan distribution through association with domestic horses.
Gasterophilus intestinalis
Horse Bot Fly, Horse Botfly
A parasitic bot fly found worldwide that infests the gastrointestinal tract of equids. Adults are bumblebee mimics active in summer, lacking functional mouthparts and living only a few weeks. Females cement eggs to horse hairs; larvae develop in the mouth and stomach for 8–10 months before exiting in feces to pupate. Infestations rarely cause clinical disease but adults are a nuisance to horses.
Haematopinidae
ungulate lice
Haematopinidae is a family of sucking lice (suborder Anoplura) containing the single genus Haematopinus. All species are obligate hematophagous ectoparasites of large mammals, particularly ungulates. They are permanent parasites that complete their entire life cycle on the host and cannot survive away from it. Species in this family are significant veterinary pests causing direct damage through blood loss and skin irritation, with documented economic impacts on livestock production.
Haematopinus
ungulate lice, buffalo lice
Haematopinus is a genus of sucking lice and the sole genus in the family Haematopinidae. These obligate ectoparasites are specialized blood-feeders on large mammals, including cattle, horses, pigs, water buffalo, and various wild ungulates. Species within this genus are economically significant veterinary pests that cause direct damage through blood loss and skin irritation, and some are suspected vectors of disease pathogens including anaplasmosis and Brucella abortus. The genus has a global distribution across domestic livestock and wildlife populations.
Haematopinus suis
Hog Louse, Pig Louse
Haematopinus suis, the hog louse, is one of the largest sucking lice (suborder Anoplura), measuring 5–6 mm in length and visible without magnification. It is an obligate ectoparasite of domestic pigs (Sus scrofa domesticus) and wild boars, spending its entire life cycle on the host. The species feeds exclusively on blood, taking multiple meals daily through piercing-sucking mouthparts. Infestations cause severe irritation, hair loss, reduced growth rates, and anemia, with significant economic impacts on pig husbandry worldwide.
Hypoderma
Warble Flies, Heel Flies, Bomb Flies, Gadflies
Hypoderma is a genus of large parasitic flies in the family Oestridae, commonly known as warble flies. Adults are non-feeding and live only to reproduce. Females deposit eggs on the legs and flanks of cattle and other ungulates; first-instar larvae penetrate the skin and migrate through the host's body, typically to the gullet or spinal canal, before settling in subcutaneous tissues of the back to develop. The larvae create characteristic swellings (warbles) visible on the host's hide. Two economically important species are H. bovis (ox warble fly) and H. lineatum (cattle warble fly), which cause significant damage to cattle hides and reduce animal welfare.
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.
Menoponidae
chicken body lice, chicken body louse family
Menoponidae is a family of chewing lice (suborder Amblycera) comprising ectoparasites of birds. They are frequently called the chicken body louse family due to the economic importance of species like Menacanthus stramineus on poultry, though the family parasitizes diverse avian hosts including migratory birds and passerines. Members possess short antennae concealed in grooves behind the eyes, and many retain partial dependence on blood-feeding through specialized mouthparts such as the hypopharynx. This hematophagous capability allows broader host distribution and reduced microhabitat specialization compared to other chewing lice.
Oestrinae
Nose Bot Flies
Oestrinae is a subfamily of bot flies (Oestridae) comprising 9 genera and 34 species of obligate mammalian parasites. Larvae develop within the nasal, pharyngeal, and frontal cavities of deer, sheep, and related ungulates, feeding on cellular debris and mucosal secretions. Adult females are larviparous, depositing live larvae directly into host nostrils. The subfamily includes economically significant pests of livestock and game animals.
Otobius
spinose ear tick
Otobius is a genus of soft-bodied ticks in the family Argasidae. Adults possess a vestigial hypostome (feeding mouthpart) despite nymphs having a fully developed hypostome, and lack both eyes and a hood. The genus contains two species: O. lagophilus, associated with lagomorph hosts, and O. megnini, the spinose ear tick, which infests the ear canals of domestic and wild mammals. O. megnini is of veterinary significance due to its propensity to cause otitis, ear canal obstruction, and associated neurological symptoms in heavily infested hosts.
Otobius megnini
spinose ear tick
Otobius megnini, commonly known as the spinose ear tick, is a soft-bodied tick in the family Argasidae. Only the larval and nymphal stages are parasitic, residing deep within the external ear canals of mammals. Adults are non-feeding and free-living. The species has a worldwide distribution and is a significant veterinary pest of horses, cattle, sheep, goats, and dogs, causing otitis, irritation, and occasionally secondary complications such as muscle spasms or colic in horses.
Otodectes cynotis
Ear Mange Mite, Ear Mite, Common Ear Mite
Otodectes cynotis is a parasitic mite in the family Psoroptidae, the sole species in its genus. It is a non-burrowing ectoparasite that inhabits the external ear canals of mammals, causing otitis externa. The mite completes its entire life cycle on a single host in approximately three weeks. It is distributed worldwide and primarily affects domestic cats, dogs, and ferrets, though it has been recorded on numerous other carnivores and occasionally humans. Infestation causes intense pruritus, head shaking, and ear scratching, and can lead to secondary bacterial infections in severe cases.
Rhipicephalus sanguineus
Brown Dog Tick, Kennel Tick, Pantropical Dog Tick
Rhipicephalus sanguineus is a hard tick species distinguished by its ability to complete its entire life cycle indoors, a trait unusual among ixodid ticks. It is found worldwide but is most common in warmer climates. The species is a three-host tick that feeds on a variety of mammals, with dogs serving as the preferred host in the United States. It is a significant vector of multiple pathogens affecting dogs and humans, including Ehrlichia canis, Babesia canis, Rickettsia rickettsii, and Rickettsia conorii.
Siphonaptera
fleas, pireler (Turkish)
Siphonaptera (fleas) are small, wingless, holometabolous insects that are obligate ectoparasites of mammals and birds. Adults are 2–5 mm long, bilaterally flattened, and possess enlarged hind legs adapted for jumping. Larvae are legless, worm-like, and feed on organic debris including blood clots and adult flea feces. The order comprises approximately 2,500 described species, with roughly 94% parasitizing mammals and 6% specializing on birds. Some species are significant vectors of human and animal pathogens, including plague, typhus, and tularemia.