Melophagus | |
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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 Linnaeus, 1758 |
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Species | |
3. See text |
3. See text
Melophagus is a genus of biting flies in the family of louse flies, Hippoboscidae. There are three known species and one subspecies. All are parasites of bovines. All are wingless.
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.
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).