Family HIPPOBOSCIDAE
Louse Flies
Compiler and date details
December 2011 - Scott Ginn, Australian Museum, Sydney, Australia
2007 - R. Johnson, data taken from Evenhuis, N.L. Catalog of the Diptera of the Australasian and Oceanian Regions (online version, accessed 2007-08)
Introduction
Hippoboscidae are a medium-sized family of flies; 25 species in 11 genera are currently recorded from Australia. Some 200 species in 21 genera are known worldwide. Commonly known as the louse flies, they are ectoparasitic bloodsuckers typically associated with a variety of host species, ranging from birds to true mammals and marsupials. Hippobosca equina (in association with horses) and Melophagus ovinus (in association with sheep) are both introduced species.
Predominantly the Australian Hippoboscidae have been worked on by Bequaert (1953 — 2 publications), Paramonov (1954) and Maa (1962, 1963, 1969, 1980). There has been little work on the Australian fauna in recent years.
General References
Bequaert, J. 1953. The Hippoboscidae or louse-flies (Diptera) of mammals and birds. Part I. Structure, physiology and natural history [concl.]. Entomologica Americana N.S. 33: 211-442 [Date published 26 May]
Bequaert, J. 1953. The Hippoboscidae or louse-flies (Diptera) of mammals and birds. Part I. Structure, physiology and natural history [part]. Entomologica Americana (N.S.) 32: 1-209 [Date published 20 February]
Evenhuis, N. (Originally by Maa, T.C.) 22 May 2007. Family Hippoboscidae. In Evenhuis, N.L.(ed.) Catalog of the Diptera of the Australasian and Oceanian Regions. http://hbs.bishopmuseum.org/aocat/hippo.html
Maa, T.C. 1962. Notes on the Hippoboscidae (Diptera), 1. Pacific Insects 4: 583-614 [Date published 10 October]
Maa, T.C. 1963. Genera and species of Hippoboscidae (Diptera): types, synonymy, habitats and natural groupings. Pacific Insects Monograph 6: 1-186 [Date published 15 December]
Maa, T.C. 1969. Studies in Hippoboscidae (Diptera). Part 2. A revised checklist and concise host index of Hippoboscidae (Diptera). Pacific Insects Monograph 20: 261-299 [Date published 20 February]
Maa, T.C. 1980. A preliminary revision of the genus Myophthiria Rondani (Diptera: Hippoboscidae). Revue Suisse de Zoologie 87: 835-861 [Date published September]
Paramonov, S.J. 1954. Notes on Australian Diptera (XIII-XV). XIV. Notes on some hippoboscids (especially Ortholfersia). Annals and Magazine of Natural History (12) 7: 283-292 [Date published 13 April]