Psoroptes cuniculi

Psoroptes cuniculi
Class	Arachnida
Order	Acariformes
Family	Psoroptidae

Also known as:	Ear canker mite
Predilection site	Ears

Psoroptes cuniculi (Copyright Joel Mills, Wikimedia Commons)

Psoroptes cuniculi is a non-burrowing parasite, of the class Arachnida and is seen worldwide. It is found on the ears of the infected host, is generally seen in relatively small amounts. However, occassionally they will proliferate and the infection will become severe leading, resulting in mange.

Hosts

Commonly of rabbits, but also seen in rabbits, goats, sheep and horses.

Identification

Adults mite grow up to around 0.75mm in length. The legs are long and jointed, bearing suckers on the ends. The adults also have very characteristic pointed mouthparts.

It is highly likely that P. cuniculi is simply an adaptation of the species Psoroptes ovis.

Life Cycle

The egg hatches forming an hexapod larvae. The larvae then moults forming a protonymph, which further moults to form a tritonymph, which then moults to become an adult. Each stage takes around two days, totalling to an approximate 10 day life cycle.