Melophagus

Melophagus is a genus of biting flies in the family of louse flies, Hippoboscidae. There are three known species and one subspecies.[1] All are parasites of bovids.[2] All are wingless.

Melophagus
Melophagus ovinus in Europäischen Zweiflügeligen Fig.11
Scientific classification
Kingdom:
Animalia
Phylum:
Arthropoda
Class:
Insecta
Order:
Diptera
Family:
Hippoboscidae
Subfamily:
Lipopteninae
Genus:
Melophagus

Latreille, 1802
Type species
Hippobosca ovina
Species

3. See text

Distribution

They are native to Europe, Asia and North Africa. M. ovinus ovinus has been introduced to most parts of the world where domestic sheep are kept.

Hosts

All are parasites of cloven-hoofed mammals - Family Bovidae, including domestic sheep, domestic cattle, the Mongolian gazelle (Procapra gutturosa), the chamois (Rupicapra rupicapra), the alpine ibex (Capra ibex), the yak (Bos grunniens), plus doubtful records on the argali (Ovis ammon), the bighorn sheep (Ovis canadensis) and the Dall sheep (Ovis dalli).[2]

Females could only mate until 24 hours of emergence from the puparium, after which they stored sufficient sperms to fertilize the egg production.

Systematics

References
  1. Dick, C. W. (2006). "Checklist of World Hippoboscidae (Diptera: Hippoboscoidea)". Chicago: Department of Zoology, Field Museum of Natural History: 1–7pp. {{cite journal}}: Cite journal requires |journal= (help)
  2. Maa, T. C. (1969). "A Revised Checklist and Concise Host Index of Hippoboscidae (Diptera)". Pacific Insects Monograph. Honolulu: Bishop Museum, Honolulu, Hawaii. 20: 261–299pp.

3. Small, Richard W. “A Review of Melophagus Ovinus (L.), the Sheep Ked.” Veterinary Parasitology., vol. 130, no. 1-2, Elsevier, 2005, pp. 141–55, doi:10.1016/j.vetpar.2005.03.005.


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