Psoroptes cuniculi

Psoroptes
Kingdom	Animalia
Phylum	Arthropoda
Class	Arachnida
Sub-class	Acari
Order	Sarcoptiformes
Family	Psoroptidae
Genus	Psoroptes
Species	Psoroptes cuniculi

Also known as: Ear canker mite

Introduction

Psoroptes cuniculi (Sourced from 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 and is generally seen in relatively small amounts. However, occasionally they will proliferate and the infection will become severe resulting in mange. In rabbits, they cause Ear Canker.

Predilection site: Ears

Hosts

Commonly of rabbits, but also seen in 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 on pairs 1, 2, and 4 in the female and 1, 2, and 3 in the male. 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.

Psoroptes cuniculi Learning Resources
Flashcards Test your knowledge using flashcard type questions	Small Mammals Q&A 21
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