Rank Species | ||
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Similar Hippobosca, Hippobosca equina, Ornithomya, Stenepteryx hirundinis, Ornithomya avicularia | ||
Hippobosca longipennis (Diptera: Hippoboscidae), the dog fly, louse fly, or blind fly, is an obligate blood-feeding parasite of wild carnivores. Its bites can be painful and result in skin irritation, it is an intermediate host for the canine and hyaenid filarial parasite Dipetalonema dracunculoides, and it may also be a biological or mechanical vector for other pathogens.
Distribution
The species is found in Africa, the Middle East and Asia, including China, in suitable habitats throughout the Palearctic Region south of about 45° north latitude, and is occasionally reported from countries on the fringes of this range, including Ireland, Germany, Poland, Japan, Sri Lanka and Taiwan. It has been transported into North America on several occasions with zoo animals.