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=Melophagus ovinus=
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{| cellpadding="10" cellspacing="0" border="1"
| Also known as:
| Also known as:
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{{Taxobox
|name =Melophagus spp
|kingdom =Animalia
|phylum =Arthropoda
|class =Insecta
|sub-class =
|order =Diptera
|super-family =
|family =Hippoboscidae
|sub-family =
|genus =Melophagus
|species ='''''M. ovinus'''''
}}
==Hosts==
Sheep.
==Identification==
The adults are hairy, brown and around 6mm in length. They have an segemented abdomen, and are wingless. ''M. ovinus'' has blood sucking mouthparts, and claws on the ends of the legs, designed to hold on to the host. They are dorso-ventrally flattened.
==Life Cycle==
They are permanent ectoparasites, feeding on the host. The female fly produce a single larvae at a time, and the larvae are held back until they are ready to pupate. The larvae then undergo three larval stages before becoming fully developed. Pupation of the larvae occurs, and they are clearly seen on the fleeces of the sheep. These then later emerge as adults.