Sheep Ked vs Neotropical Robber Fly

Side-by-side species comparison

Attribute Sheep Ked Neotropical Robber Fly
Scientific Name Melophagus ovinus Ommatius orenoquensis
Order Diptera Diptera
Family Hippoboscidae Asilidae
Size 4-7 mm 10-15 mm
Habitat Farmland Forests
Diet Blood Feeders Predators
Regions Cosmopolitan - worldwide where sheep are raised South America
Conservation Least Concern Least Concern

Sheep Ked

A completely wingless, tick-like blood-sucking fly that lives permanently in sheep wool. Its flattened body and strong claws allow it to cling firmly to wool fibers.

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Did You Know?

Despite being called a ked or tick, it is actually a true fly that has completely lost its wings through evolution.

Neotropical Robber Fly

A slender tropical robber fly found in South American lowland forests. It hunts from leaf tips in the forest understory.

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Did You Know?

The genus Ommatius is one of the most species-rich robber fly genera in the tropics.