OLFERSIA CERVINA Meaning and
Definition
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Olfersia cervina, commonly known as the deer ked, is a species of parasitic fly that belongs to the family Hippoboscidae. It is a small, blood-sucking insect that feeds specifically on cervids, including deer, elk, moose, and reindeer.
The adult Olfersia cervina has a compact body, measuring around 4-5 millimeters in length, with a dark brown or black coloration. It has a flattened shape and is winged, enabling it to move between different hosts. The female deer ked, in particular, utilizes its modified mouthparts to pierce the skin of the host and consume blood. These insects are commonly found in regions where cervids reside, such as forests and grasslands.
Olfersia cervina has a complex life cycle. After mating, the female deer ked attaches her eggs to vegetation in the vicinity of cervid populations. Once the eggs hatch, the larvae actively seek a host, typically a deer, where they burrow into the animal's fur and develop through several stages before pupating. The pupae eventually transform into mature adults, completing the life cycle.
While the deer ked doesn't pose a direct threat to humans, it can be a nuisance to cervids, causing annoyance and irritation. Additionally, deer keds have the potential to transmit various diseases between hosts, similar to other blood-feeding organisms. Effective control measures, such as targeted insecticides and management strategies for deer populations, are sometimes employed to minimize the impact of Olfersia cervina on cervids.
Common Misspellings for OLFERSIA CERVINA
- ilfersia cervina
- klfersia cervina
- llfersia cervina
- plfersia cervina
- 0lfersia cervina
- 9lfersia cervina
- okfersia cervina
- opfersia cervina
- oofersia cervina
- oldersia cervina
- olcersia cervina
- olversia cervina
- olgersia cervina
- oltersia cervina
- olrersia cervina
- olfwrsia cervina
- olfsrsia cervina
- olfdrsia cervina
- olfrrsia cervina
Etymology of OLFERSIA CERVINA
The word Olfersia Cervina has a scientific etymology. Olfersia is the genus name for a type of parasitic fly, specifically a deer ked. It is named after Wilhelm Friedrich Olbers, a German physician and astronomer who lived in the 18th and 19th centuries. Cervina is the species name and refers to the fact that this particular fly infests cervids, which are deer species. Hence, Olfersia Cervina essentially means deer ked, as described by Olbers.
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