Melophagus ovinus, or the sheep ked, is a brown, hairy fly that resembles a tick. This wingless fly is about 4 to 6 mm long and has a small head; it is a fly from the family Hippoboscidae. They are blood-feeding parasites of sheep.[1] The sheep ked feeds on the blood of its host by inserting its sharp mouthparts into capillaries beneath the skin.[2] The legs of the sheep ked are very strong and tipped with claws. Sheep keds live their whole lives in the wool of sheep. They are most commonly found on the neck, shoulders, and underbelly of the host animal.[3] Although they are often referred to as the “sheep tick”, sheep keds spend their entire lifecycle on their hosts, which is distinguishable from the characteristics of a true tick. Additionally, sheep keds have six legs, whereas true ticks have eight legs.[2]
^Maa TC (1969). "A Revised Checklist and Concise Host Index of Hippoboscidae (Diptera)". Pacific Insects Monograph. 20. Honolulu: Bishop Museum, Honolulu, Hawaii: 261–299.
^ ab"Sheep Keds". Veterinary Entomology. College of Agriculture and Life Sciences, Cornell University. Retrieved 18 April 2015.
^McDermit S, Stephan A, Bennett A (2003). "Sheep Ked Melophagus ovinus". West Lafayette, IN, USA: Purdue University Animal Science Sheep Research and Education Center. Archived from the original on 2009-02-02. Retrieved 2009-02-03.
Melophagusovinus, or the sheep ked, is a brown, hairy fly that resembles a tick. This wingless fly is about 4 to 6 mm long and has a small head; it is...
1758) Melophagus pantholopsus Sun, 1996 Melophagus rupicaprinus Rondani, 1879 They are native to Europe, Asia and North Africa. M. ovinusovinus has been...
mother's body, and pupation occurs almost immediately. The sheep ked, Melophagusovinus, is a wingless, reddish-brown fly that parasitizes sheep. The Neotropical...
type of snow crane fly Genus Badisis Family Braulidae, or bee lice Melophagusovinus, or the sheep ked Mystacinobia zelandica, the New Zealand batfly Wingless...
rate is high. In species that never develop wings as adults, such as Melophagusovinus, the sheep-ked, the fully developed larvae are deposited by the female...
placing of rams with ewes for mating (see tupping). Ked, or sheep ked – Melophagusovinus, a species of louse-fly, a nearly flightless biting fly infesting...
koalas T. lewisi, in rats T. melophagium, in sheep, transmitted via Melophagusovinus T. parroti, in amphibians T. percae, in the species Perca fluviatilis...
Chrysomya species Lucilia species Oestrus ovis (sheep bot fly) sheep ked (Melophagusovinus) Pugh, D. G. (2002). Sheep and Goat Medicine. Philadelphia: Saunders...
Ked itch is a cutaneous condition caused by sheep ked (Melophagusovinus) which feed by thrusting their sharp mouth parts into the skin and sucking blood...
pluvialis feeding Phlebotomus pappatasi after a blood meal Sheep ked, Melophagusovinus, a highly specialised blood-feeding dipteran ectoparasite The larvae...
weidneri Maa, 1969 Genus Melophagus Latreille, 1802 M. antilopes (Pallas, 1777) M. ovinus M. ovinusovinus (Linnaeus, 1758) M. ovinus himalayae Maa, 1969 M...
males have two wings. Similarly, the sheep ked Hippobosca ovina (now Melophagusovinus) was correctly placed among the Diptera, despite being wingless. Coleoptera:...
Hippobosca hirundinis – Crataerina hirundinis Hippobosca ovina – Melophagusovinus, sheep ked All modern identities are taken from "Systema Dipterorum"...
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