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Hippoboscidae

noun plural

Hip·​po·​bos·​ci·​dae -ˈbäs-(k)ə-ˌdē How to pronounce Hippoboscidae (audio)
: a family of winged or wingless dipteran flies that comprise the louse flies (as the sheep ked), are bloodsucking parasites on birds and mammals, and do not lay eggs but produce well developed larvae from time to time which almost immediately pupate
hippoboscid adjective or noun

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Cite this Entry

“Hippoboscidae.” Merriam-Webster.com Medical Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/medical/Hippoboscidae. Accessed 26 Nov. 2025.

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