Diversity and prevalence of ornithophilic louse flies (Diptera: Hippoboscidae: Ornithomyinae) in Serbia

Ectoparasites are diverse organisms that exploit animal hosts using various strategies. One such group represents the louse flies (Hippoboscidae) from the subfamily Ornithomyinae, which are permanent, highly specialised, hematophagous ectoparasites of poultry and wild birds found worldwide. The main objective of this research is to examine the mean abundance, prevalence, and diversity of ornithophilic louse flies in Serbia. They have been detected through visual inspection or fumigation of caught birds. In total, 79 louse flies belonging to four genera and six species were collected from 62 individuals within 26 host species. A single louse fly infested the bulk of captured birds, while hippoboscid females were statistically dominant within the overall sample. Most detected louse flies belonged to the genus Ornithomya, with Ornithomya avicularia and Ornithomya fringillina being the most abundant at the species level. The prevalence was relatively low, along with the mean intensity and abundance. This study contributes to a better understanding of louse flies and their parasite-host associations in Serbia. It also fills a gap in the knowledge of their diversity and distribution in Southeastern Europe.