Updated taxonomic keys for European Hippoboscidae (Diptera), and expansion in Central Europe of the bird louse fly Ornithomya comosa (Austen, 1930) with the first record from Slovakia

Abstract

The available keys for European Hippoboscidae are outdated and do not cover all species currently known from Europe. Therefore, identification keys to the eleven genera and 31 species of the European hippoboscids are provided here. Ornithomya comosa (Austen, 1930) (Diptera: Hippoboscidae) is recorded for the first time from the territory of Slovakia based on one female found on a sand martin, Riparia riparia (Linnaeus, 1758). The list of keds and louse flies recorded from the territory of Slovakia is increased to 20 species. New host records for Slovakia are presented.

Ornithomya biloba, Pseudolynchia garzettae and Pseudolynchia canariensis (Diptera: Hippoboscidae): three new United Kingdom colonists and potential disease vectors

“…I discuss the potential for further range expansion by these species and how this may lead to an increase in avian diseases. I also include photographs of all three species and a simple key to the genus Pseudolynchia in the region, as, although these species are included in a recent key to species in Europe (Oboňa et al, 2022), the genus is not comprehensively covered in the commonly used guide to Hippoboscidae in the United Kingdom (Hutson, 1984).…”