Identification, Images, & Information
For Insects, Spiders & Their Kin
For the United States & Canada
Home » Guide » Arthropods (Arthropoda) » Insects (Insecta) » Flies (Diptera) » Calyptratae » Hippoboscoidea » Louse Flies (Hippoboscidae)

Family Hippoboscidae - Louse Flies

Louse Flies Hippoboscid Fly Bug I found on my goats in VT - Lipoptena Bug I found on my goats in VT - Lipoptena Icosta louse fly on Owl - Icosta Icosta wing - Icosta Odd fly - Icosta Ked - Lipoptena
Classification
Kingdom Animalia (Animals)
Phylum Arthropoda (Arthropods)
Class Insecta (Insects)
Order Diptera (Flies)
No Taxon (Calyptratae)
Superfamily Hippoboscoidea
Family Hippoboscidae (Louse Flies)
Other Common Names
Sheep Ked, Neotropical Deer Ked, Neotropical Deer Louse Fly, pigeon louse fly, Sheep Tick
Explanation of Names
Hippoboscidae
Hipp, -o is Greek for a horse (1)
bosc is Greek for feed
Numbers
About 31 species.
Identification
This group includes wingless and winged forms. Most winged ones are dark brownish and smaller than house flies.
Flat shape and leathery appearance.
Habitat
Most are found on birds.
Melophagus ovinus is found on sheep and wingless.
Life Cycle
Females rear one offspring at a time, the larva feeding in utero from special "milk" glands. The mature larva is "born alive" and immediately pupates in the soil (or on the host in some cases). Most are host specific on bird species, with a few occurring on mammals. (2)
Print References
(3)
Dick, C.W. 2006. Checklist of World Hippoboscidae (Diptera: Hippoboscoidea). Department of Zoology, Field Museum of Natural History, Chicago. 7 pp.
Internet References
pigeon louse fly- Featured Creatures

Neotropical deer ked- Featured Creatures
Works Cited
1.Dictionary of Word Roots and Combining Forms
By Donald J. Borror
2.Kaufman Field Guide to Insects of North America
By Eric Eaton, Kenn Kaufman
3.Borror and DeLong's Introduction to the Study of Insects
By Norman F. Johnson, Charles A. Triplehorn
Contributed by Joel Kits on 21 March, 2005 - 11:03pm
Additional contributions by Beatriz Moisset, Keith Bayless, Mike Quinn
Last updated 7 February, 2009 - 12:21pm

Disclaimer: Dedicated naturalists volunteer their time and resources here to provide this service. We strive to provide accurate information, but we are mostly just amateurs attempting to make sense of a diverse natural world. If you need expert professional advice, contact your local extension office.

Contributors own the copyright to and are solely responsible for contributed content.
Click the contributor's name for licensing and usage information.
Everything else copyright © 2003-2009 Iowa State University, unless otherwise noted.

Bugguide is hosted by Iowa State University Entomology.