tsetse fly

views updated May 18 2018

tsetse fly Any of several species of blood-sucking flies that live in Africa. Larger than a housefly, it has a grey thorax and a yellow to brown abdomen. Females transmit a cattle disease. Almost 80% of flies that bite humans are males, which carry sleeping sickness. Length: to 16mm (0.6in). Order Diptera; family Muscidae; genus Glossina.