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Olfersia aenescens Tropicbird-Booby Lousefly       No Local Name
f.HIPPOBOSCIDAE Louse Flies
Olfersia aenescens Tropicbird-Booby Lousefly       No Local Name
f.HIPPOBOSCIDAE Louse Flies
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Cook Islands Status Summary

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    Intl. NamesTropicbird‑Booby Lousefly EN [CIBED]
    Local NamesP,?NAK,PL 
    Pacific NamesNo Content
    Sci. NamesOlfersia aenescens (accepted name) [Original, Keeling Is. (Indian Ocean)], Pseudolfersia aenescens, Olfersia spinifera [mistaken, is another species], newFix2024-06
    High Tax. Eng.k.Animals, p.Arthropods, spc.Hexapods, c.Insects, o.Flies, f.Louse Flies - Fly
    High Tax. Latink.ANIMALIA, p.ARTHROPODA, sp.ATELOCERATA, spc.HEXAPODA, c.INSECTA, sc.PTERYGOTA, o.Diptera, so.Brachycera, io.Muscomorpha, spf.Hippoboscoidea, f.HIPPOBOSCIDAE
    Natl. PresencePresent
    Sth. PresenceRR?MG?AT?MK?MT?AKPPLPMNPTK?
    Nth. PresenceTN?MH?RK?PK?NS?SW?
    VouchersAK2024   PL2024   MN2024  
    Local OriginNative; Resident
    Global RangeNative: Indian - Pacific Oceans: incl. Fiji - French Polynesia - Pitcairn; Hawai‘i, Galapagos; 
    HabitatLand - Lowlands - Coastal [on nesting seabirds]
    ThreatenedNo Content
    InvasivenessNo Content
    BiosecurityNo Content
    Medical StatusNo Content
    Harmful StatusNo Content
    UsesNo Content
    IdentificationA flattened, dark brown fly to 12mmBL (incl. wings). THORAX and head glossy and very hard. Key feature is posterior 30% of anal and axillary cells with short setulae (tiny hairs) above and below. This family of flies are obligatory blood-sucking ectoparasite of birds.
    Similar SpeciesOlfersia spinifera is found only on frigatebirds and has beemore...n recorded in French Polynesia. Most useful distinguishing feature is posterior 30% of anal and axillary cells without setulae above or below (vs with setulae above and below).
    Interest NoteOf 22 Red-tailed Tropicbirds on Salas & Gomez Islands near Rmore...apa Nui: 2 had none, 7 had 1-5, 10 had 6-11, and 3 had 20-25. The flies were Olfersia sp. There was no correlation between stress and the number of flies. Possibly because flies detached before bird left to feed and reattached when they returned. (Luna et al. 2020 "Effects of predation and ectoparasitic louse flies on .... red-tailed tropicbird .....")

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    speciesid 15492
    Two louseflies on nestling
    speciesid 15492
    Specimen (Coll. Matthias Hagen)

Vernacular Names

Scientific Names and Taxonomy

National Distribution & Vouchers

Identification

Local Origin and Global Range

Habitat

Citation Information

McCormack, Gerald (2026) Cook Islands Biodiversity & Ethnobiology Database, Version 2026.04.21 - Cook Islands Natural Heritage Trust, Rarotonga. Online at https://naturalheritage.gov.ck/cibed
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speciesid 15492

Two louseflies on nestling [12mmBL] - Cook Islands, Aitutaki - Gerald McCormack 2024-10

speciesid 15492

Specimen (Coll. Matthias Hagen) - Cook Islands, Aitutaki - Gerald McCormack 2024-05


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speciesid 15492
Olfersia aenescens
Tropicbird-Booby Lousefly
      No Local Name
HIPPOBOSCIDAE

5AUw097_Olfe-aene_CK-AK1_2024-10-10_GMcCormack2_Maina-on-Tavake-nestling_TX.jpg// 5AUw097_Olfe-aene_CK-AK1_2024-10-10_GMcCormack2_Maina-on-Tavake-nestling_MX.jpg// {Olfersia aenescens} // Tropicbird-Booby Lousefly//       No Local Name// HIPPOBOSCIDAE//



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