Melophagus ovinus (Linnaeus, 1758)
(Sheep Ked)

Interactions where Melophagus ovinus is the dominant partner and gains from the process

The following relationships have been collated from the published literature (see 'Interaction References').

Stage Summary Taxon Vernacular Classification References Darwin Classification of Active Taxon Active Taxon Active Vernacular Active Taxon Uncertain Active State Active Part Active Stage Relationship Relationship Uncertain Relationship Geography Darwin Classification of Passive Taxon Passive Taxon Passive Vernacular Passive Taxon Uncertain Passive State Passive Part Passive Stage Passive Taxon's significance to Active Taxon Indoors etc Season
imago imago ectoparasitises UK/IrelandRestricted Ovis aries Sheep (Domestic and Feral), Feral Sheep Artiodactyla: Bovidae Keds, Flat-Flies and Bat-Flies (Diptera: Hippoboscidae and Nycteribiidae), Hutson, A.M., 1984
 /Animalia/Arthropoda/Insecta/Diptera/Hippoboscidae/Melophagus ovinus/Melophagus ovinussheep kedimago Animal / parasite / ectoparasiteUK and/or Eire /Animalia/Chordata/Mammalia/Artiodactyla/Bovidae/Ovis aries/Ovis ariessheep (domestic and feral), feral sheepSole
larva larva rests inside wool Restricted Ovis aries Sheep (Domestic and Feral), Feral Sheep Artiodactyla: Bovidae Keds, Flat-Flies and Bat-Flies (Diptera: Hippoboscidae and Nycteribiidae), Hutson, A.M., 1984
 /Animalia/Arthropoda/Insecta/Diptera/Hippoboscidae/Melophagus ovinus/Melophagus ovinussheep kedlarva Animal / resting place / within /Animalia/Chordata/Mammalia/Artiodactyla/Bovidae/Ovis aries/Ovis ariessheep (domestic and feral), feral sheepwoolSole
puparium puparium rests inside wool Restricted Ovis aries Sheep (Domestic and Feral), Feral Sheep Artiodactyla: Bovidae Keds, Flat-Flies and Bat-Flies (Diptera: Hippoboscidae and Nycteribiidae), Hutson, A.M., 1984
 /Animalia/Arthropoda/Insecta/Diptera/Hippoboscidae/Melophagus ovinus/Melophagus ovinussheep kedpuparium Animal / resting place / within /Animalia/Chordata/Mammalia/Artiodactyla/Bovidae/Ovis aries/Ovis ariessheep (domestic and feral), feral sheepwoolSole

Author & YearTitleSource
Hutson, A.M., 1984Keds, Flat-Flies and Bat-Flies (Diptera: Hippoboscidae and Nycteribiidae)Handbooks for the Identification of British Insects , Vol 10. Part 7, 40pp, The Royal Entomological Society of London

Melophagus ovinus (Sheep Ked) may also be included in 'feeds on' relations listed under the following higher taxa:

Melophagus ovinus (Sheep Ked) may be included in 'fed on by' relations listed under the following higher taxa:

Taxonomic hierarchy:
SpeciesMelophagus ovinus (Sheep Ked)
FamilyHIPPOBOSCIDAE (“Forest” flies, flat flies, bird flies, keds)
SuperfamilyHIPPOBOSCOIDEA (bat flies and flat flies)
InfraorderSchizophora - Calyptratae (an infraorder of flies)
OrderDIPTERA (two-winged flies)
Division Endopterygota (bees, beetles, flies, moths and other insects with wings developing internally)
InfraclassNeoptera (bees, beetles, flies, grasshoppers, moths and other advanced insects)
SubclassPTERYGOTA (bees, beetles, dragonflies, flies, grasshoppers, moths and other winged insects)
ClassINSECTA (true insects)
SubphylumHEXAPODA (insects and other 6-legged organisms)
PhylumARTHROPODA (arthropods)
SuperphylumECDYSOZOA (skin shedders)
CladeBilateria (bilaterally symmetrical animals)
SubkingdomEUMETAZOA (metazoans)
KingdomANIMALIA (animals)
DomainEukaryota (eukaryotes)
LifeBIOTA (living things)
NBNNBN (data.nbn.org.uk) has a distribution map for Melophagus ovinus (Sheep Ked)

Melophagus ovinus (Sheep Ked) may be included in identification literature listed under the following higher taxa:

Literature listed under the following higher taxa may be relevant to Melophagus ovinus (Sheep Ked):

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